SVI 2001/509 - Sustainable development in the field of transport – Criteria and indicators for social aspects
Overview
Background & policy context:
In the framework of the National Research Programme NRP 41 'Sustainability: Criteria in Trans-port' (project C5 of the NRP 41), and preliminary indicators have been elaborated. They cover ecological, economic and social aspects of transport. The analysis of the social aspects turned out to be particularly difficult.
Compared to the analysis of the ecological and (partially) the economic aspects, the investigation of social issues of this kind lacks both scientific foundation and practical experience. Because of the relatively high importance of social criteria of sustainability and the strong mutual relationship with the ecological and economic criteria, and the issue of (eventual) target values, additional scientific research is needed.
Objectives:
This research study aimed in the first place at improved and complemented sets of criteria and indicators for the social aspects of sustainable development in the field of transport. Different sets of criteria and indicators were developed for different use and levels of application. The resulting criteria and indicators aim at the completion of the criteria covering the social aspects of sustainable transportation.
Methodology:
Important methodological issues included:
- Clear structuring of criteria/indicators according to their application;
- Vertical and horizontal coherence;
- Top-down and bottom-up approach;
- Quantitative vs. qualitative indicators;
- Differentiation between drive, state and response indicators;
- Equal weight given to environment, economy and society.
The detailed working process was the following:
- Preparatory work: The first step was the compilation of basic information (among others from internet and literature). Existing relevant knowledge will be reprocessed (methods: internet research, literature studies, compilation of own experiences and selective interviews with experts).
- Analysis of the connection between mobility and society: The basic structure of the social aspects of sustainability will be determined. The comprehension of societal sustainability will be worked out. The connection between the individual / society and their mobility level will be investigated. Those topics relevant to society with regard to transport/mobility will be structured. The change in societal affinity with regard to mobility in the course of history will be analysed according to the importance of transport yesterday, today and tomorrow (methods: compilation of own studies and experiences, heuristics, trend research and interviews with the relevant research experts, top-down approach).
- Analysing the connection between demand and supply: Parallel to step 2 the connection between the societal need for transport and the supply of transport services (transport mode, attractiveness by using space and provision of infrastructure) will be analysed. By using current case studies from own experience, enhanced with examples from the peer group, the aspects relevant to society, can be determined. Additionally, individual access to transport infrastructure as well as distribution questions (equity) will be analysed. The focus is on showing the respective mechanisms, not on problem solvings (methods: use of own case studies, interviews with relevant experts, bottom-up approach).
- Structuring, derivation of initial criteria and indicators: The initial structuring of criteria and indicators designed in step 2 by using a top-down approach will be added to the application-oriented analyses in step 3 (bottom-up). Different sets of criteria resp. indicators for the different applications (strategy, concept or
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