Eight groups of tools have been distinguished, although it is difficult to apply a strict classification to the selected tools. Some tools overlap, and the applied classification is also partly shaped by the concentration of expertise with certain tool types within the project’s consortium, solely for the purpose of efficiency. The classification presented here forms a useful starting-point, but should remain open for discussion until the end of the project. The following tool groups are distinguished within the project:
1. physical assessment tools – tools that assess some physical parameter;
2. monetary assessment tools – tools that assess some financial/economical parameters; 3. models – tools that used (computer) model;
4. scenario analysis – tools with a prospective character;
5. multi-criteria analysis – tools that help with the consideration of various criteria; 6. sustainability appraisal tools – tools prescribing how sustainability appraisals
could/should be done;
7. stakeholder analysis tools – tools that aim to involve stakeholders; 8. transition management – tools that can support transition management. In SustainabilityA-Test the word ‘tool’ is used to refer to all types of tools, methods, methodologies and procedures that can be used to carry out (part of) an assessment. It is a collective term used only as such to prevent us from having to write ‘tools, methods, methodologies and procedures’ each time we want to refer to all kinds of tools. Obviously, different types of tools exist. Some have a more procedural character whereas others have a more instrumental character. Different types of tools have different functions in assessments, and in order to be able to distinguish between them, we distinguish the following tool types within SustainabilityA-Test: methods, tools, procedures and recipes29.
Note that the word ‘tool’ is used both as a collective term, referring to methods, procedures and tools, and as a specific ‘type of tool’. This might lead to confusion. However, we decided to keep this twofold usage of the term tool, as both are already well rooted in the project, and confusion will be avoided by the context in which both terms are used.
Each tool type (method, tool, procedure and recipe) is discussed in more detail in the next sections.
29 Terminology proposed in the draft methodology report, elaborated by John Robinson (SDRI, Canada) and discussed and agreed at the
4.1.1 Method
A method is a tool type on the most detailed level within SustainabilityA-Test. It is a specific analytical procedure within a tool; a specific ‘way of doing something’. Most tools contain multiple methods. Methods themselves can have many levels, and methods can be embedded in methods. E.g. a method is non-market valuation (methodology to estimate the benefits of a policy intervention) within which contingent valuation is a method too (non-market valuation methodology to estimate the benefits of a policy intervention).
4.1.2 Tool
A tool is a tool type which makes up a recognisable methodological approach (e.g. CBA, scenario analysis, et cetera). Tools can use various methods. An example of a tool is the cost- benefit analysis. Different methods exist to estimate the costs and the benefits.
The word ‘tool’ is also used as a collective term, referring to all tools that will be evaluated within SustainabilityA-Test. This collective term is used to prevent us from having to write ‘methods, tools, procedures and/or recipes’ each time we want to refer to all ‘tools’.
4.1.3 Procedure
A procedure is a tool type, which describes how tools can be used to accomplish a type of assessment. Procedures can use various tools and/or methods, but they do not consist of certain tools and/or methods per se.
Examples of procedures are the Commission’s Impact Assessment procedures (CEC, 2002b) and the Strategic Environmental Assessment procedure, describing what elements should be included in the assessment (which tools or methods to use, is left open).
4.1.4 Recipe
A recipe is a combination of procedures, tools and methods to undertake (parts of) sustainability assessments. A recipe could be one procedure with pre-described tools and methods, but it could also be a combination of different procedures, tools and methods. Tools are seldom used alone and for the most part used in combination with other tools, with or without procedures describing which tools to use and how to use them. The heart of SustainabilityA-Test is to analyse common assessment practice and to identify leads for making combinations of tools that could strengthen assessments. Combinations that will be evaluated within SustainabilityA-Test shall be referred to as ‘recipes’. This word has been chosen to capture the fact that recipes refer to more than just making combinations of tools. It is a combination of tools and an instruction of how to create and use it.
The word ‘recipe’ will be used within the project team to refer to these combinations. It remains to be seen whether this word can also be used outside the project team – e.g. in the final handbook – as it is currently unknown if such word provides added value or leads to confusion.
Cost/benefit analysis
Cost effectiveness analysis Monetary assessment tools
Methods to valuate benefits Travel costs Contingent valuation Hedonic pricing Cost of illness Averting expenditures Environmental accounting MEW ISEW Genuine savings SNI Hydrology
Family of bio-physical models
Life cycle assessments Economy-
wide MFA
Physical assessment tools
Ecological footprint GLUA/TRUA NAMEA
CLARC Climate Biochemical General
economy
Family of socio-economic models Partial economy Demographic Public health Family of integrated models
Integrated assessment
Qualitative system analysis
Land use Scenario building and planning
Models
Scenario analysis Using existing
scenarios Building new scenarios
Environmental appraisal tools
SIA SEA
Vulnerability assessment Indicator based
assessment Multi criteria analysis
Compensatory Non-compensatory Outranking MAVT Weighted summation AHP PROMETHEE NAIADE Regime Dominance method St akeh old e r an aly s is to ols Cons ensus con fer enc e Foc us gr ou ps Elec tr onic fo cus gr oups R eper to ry gr id te chnique In te ra ct iv e back cast ing TI D D D Procedure Tool Method ‘Unit’ of evaluation Tool group
Family of tools within a group
Figure 4.1: Overview of tools considered in SustainabilityA-Test
Note: the (vertical) ‘hierarchy’ suggested by this figure is roughly based on what tools could be considered a building block for other tools. Obviously, there exists no one true hierarchy. The figure provides an overview and the hierarchy should therefore not be attached too much value.