The Criticality of Using Frameworks Designed by Consensus (FDC) to Identify and Select Criteria and Indicators to Assess Sustainability Performance of Cities and Communities

IF 0.8 Q4 GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
C. Poveda
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

: Capturing the various facets of sustainable development is the main objective of sustainability assessment studies. Scientists and practitioners use sustainable development criteria and indicators as instruments to link the theoretical definitions with the evaluation of the effectiveness of management strategies; therefore, identifying and selecting indicators are the most critical processes in evaluating the implementation of sustainable development strategies and progress toward achieving sustainability goals and objectives. The manuscript argues the need for increasing credibility in the identification and selection of criteria and indicators through stakeholder engagement, participation and management. Sustainability aims to primarily address and balance the [social, economic, environmental] needs and expectations of stakeholders; therefore, reaching consensus amongst the various groups of stakeholders became the determining factor in the design, implementation, and assessment of sustainable development strategies. Because a precise definition of sustainability that is universally agreed upon is yet to be introduced, the process of identifying and selecting indicators to assess progress toward achieving sustainable development is embedded in subjectivity and vagueness and can be easily manipulated to meet particular interests. Furthermore, the absence of rigorous and standardized methodological frameworks contributes to continuously proposing set indicators that best capture the notion of sustainable development which creates distrust in the assessment process and directly affects the credibility of the sustainability concept. Departing from acknowledging the relevance of stakeholders groups in decision-making and management processes, the manuscript identifies and discusses three credible and reliable frameworks designed by consensus (FDC) to identify and select criteria and indicators to assess the sustainability performance of cities and communities: (1) ISO 37130:2018 which is complemented by ISO 37122:2019, (2) United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) with focus on Goal 11, and (3) customized frameworks for sustainable cities (CFSS). To minimize subjectivity and strengthen credibility, the manuscript also makes the case for the need of embedding FDC into sustainability assessment processes to identify and select criteria and indicators. Because of the methodology adopted for their development, FDC provide scientists and practitioners with reliable and credible sources to identify and select criteria and indicators for the assessment of the sustainability performance of cities and communities.
使用共识设计框架(FDC)来确定和选择评估城市和社区可持续性绩效的标准和指标的重要性
:把握可持续发展的各个方面是可持续性评价研究的主要目标。科学家和实践者使用可持续发展标准和指标作为工具,将理论定义与管理战略有效性的评价联系起来;因此,确定和选择指标是评价可持续发展战略的执行情况和在实现可持续性目标和目的方面取得进展的最关键过程。该手稿认为,需要通过利益相关者的参与、参与和管理,提高在确定和选择标准和指标方面的可信度。可持续发展的主要目的是解决和平衡利益相关者的[社会、经济、环境]需求和期望;因此,在各利益相关者群体之间达成共识成为可持续发展战略设计、实施和评估的决定性因素。由于对可持续性的精确定义尚未得到普遍同意,确定和选择指标以评价实现可持续发展方面的进展的过程具有主观性和模糊性,很容易被操纵以满足特定利益。此外,由于缺乏严格和标准化的方法框架,导致不断提出最能体现可持续发展概念的一系列指标,这在评估过程中造成不信任,并直接影响到可持续概念的可信性。在承认利益相关者群体在决策和管理过程中的相关性的基础上,手稿确定并讨论了由共识(FDC)设计的三个可信和可靠的框架,以确定和选择评估城市和社区可持续性绩效的标准和指标:(1)以ISO 37122:2019为补充的ISO 37130:2018;(2)以目标11为重点的联合国可持续发展目标(UN SDGs);(3)可持续城市定制框架(CFSS)。为了最大限度地减少主观性并加强可信度,该手稿还提出了将FDC纳入可持续性评估过程以确定和选择标准和指标的必要性。由于其开发采用的方法,FDC为科学家和从业者提供了可靠和可信的来源,以确定和选择评估城市和社区可持续性绩效的标准和指标。
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来源期刊
Challenges in Sustainability
Challenges in Sustainability GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY-
CiteScore
3.10
自引率
0.00%
发文量
6
审稿时长
4 weeks
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