Building a Metaframework for Sustainable Transport Indicators

Abstract

Several recent papers presented at TRB and elsewhere seek to make sustainability manageable. To this end they suggest using indicators and performance measures to help conceptualize and operationalize sustainability for transportation-related planning and decision-making. These studies often present frameworks that will allow sustainability indicators and measures to be included in, for example, agency strategies and practices. Moreover, some suggest criteria for selection of individual indicators and performance measures. The studies, however, do not always agree on what is really meant by a framework or how to use it for making sustainability-based decisions, and the aspects and concerns they underline tend to differ. This paper addresses the issue of frameworks more generically and explores what the authors term a 'meta-framework' with a set of associated criteria to guide the framing of indicators for sustainable transportation. Based on an explicit framework theory, it is found that the three functions of conceptualization, operationalization and utilization provide a logical structure of complementing features for building indicator frameworks. Characteristics of robust indicator frameworks were evaluated in terms of their significance for the three key functions and collected into a list of criteria. A review of the Brundtland report provides an example of how a more finely grained understanding of sustainability can inform the conceptualization criterion 'Ranking of sustainability impacts'.The meta-framework is primarily intended as a basis for undertaking empirical analysis and to 'meta-evaluate' existing practice frameworks with regards to the strength of the level for sustainability they are likely to provide.Keywords: Sustainability, Transportation, Framework, Indicators, Evaluation LIST OF TABLES INTRODUCTIONDespite associated complexity, it would no longer be fair to depict sustainability as a marginal or exotic concern in the assessment of transportation policies, plans, programs, or projects. On the contrary, many agencies in the US and around the globe have adopted notions of sustainability principles or goals for parts of their activities or even as a more general direction. Several recent reports, papers and guidance documents seek to make sustainability manageable by suggesting indicators and performance measures as tools to help conceptualize and operationalize sustainability for planning and decision-making. According to several studies in this field, the best approach is not to simply add a few sustainable transportation indicators (STI) to an agency's existing performance measurement system. The recommendation is rather to integrate sustainability principles and goals at the higher level of strategic planning and performance measurement and then to derive a set of indicators that serves this purpose (1-4). If successful, this approach is likely to result in a more meaningful approach to sustainability by an agency than simply parachuting in a few indicators into an otherwise unal...

Roles and Perspectives When Estimating Energy and Environmental Potentials of Urban Consolidation

“…The full interests of the municipalities were not considered as some result variables were not addressed. To connect the measurement matric with the goals of the different actors was put forward as one guiding principle in the framing of indicators by Cornet and Gudmundsson [50]. The more active inclusion of other organizations in the design phase of the measurement approach is also in line with the suggestion by Murfield and Tate [20], stating that successful environmental initiatives that spans over buyer-supplier relations, are dependent on the collaborative development of performance metrics.…”

“…The importance of capturing all relevant stakeholders of the measurement process was early described in the green logistics measurement literature [43]. Based on an literature review on frameworks for sustainable transport indicators, Cornet and Gudmundsson [50] put forward a number of guiding principles on the framing of indicators that relates to the involvement of different actors such as: Connecting the framework to the visions and goals of the agency; Consider the local context via stakeholder input (this also to increase stakeholder awareness and buy in); Consider stakeholders capabilities, mandate constraints, as well as the knowledge and skills required to collect and analyze data.…”

Masculinities and femininities in sustainable transport policy: a focus on Swedish municipalities

“…Leijonborg, 2001;Nussbaum, 2000;Okin, 1989;Wollstonecraft, 2008) and ecofeminist traditions (Gaard, 2017;Merchant, 1980;Plumwood, 1993;Salleh, 2009) including norms on sustainable transportation (e.g. Cornet & Gudmundsson, 2015). In particular, the work of Kurian (2000), Dymén et al (2014), Dymén and Langlais (2017), Dymén (2014) is central as it begun in feminist theory to develop frameworks of feminine and masculine norms, to evaluate environmental and climate change policies and planning at different administrative and political levels.…”

“…This contrasts with bottom up policy making where small-scale transport solutions are advocated. Cornet and Gudmundsson (2015) suggest that a key feature of sustainable transport planning is to develop sustainable solutions accepted by a majority. John Forester (1987) argues that to achieve progress in preparing and implementing plans, the planner must have the capacity to learn from others and communicate in an empathic way.…”

Algorithm for the Assessment of Heavyweight and Oversize Cargo Transportation Routes

“…In the majority of cases, standardization of the technology of transportation of Heavy-Weight and OverSize cargo (hereinafter -HW/OS cargo) is very complex. Solutions, which would allow delivering HW/OS cargo to the place of destination allocating minimum funding for the improvement of infrastructure, choosing the most appropriate mode of transport for such cargo or taking advantage of multimodal transportation, are necessary (Adams et al 2013;Niine et al 2015;Cornet, Gudmundsson 2015;Benedyk et al 2016;Niculescu, Minea 2016;Skorobogatova, Kuzmina-Merlino 2017, etc. ).…”