ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY –
CAN IT BE STANDARDISED ?
KNOFLACHER Helmut Markus GIGLER Ute
THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Ia) SELF REGULATION - long term conditions
Solar radiation
Geospheric partial system Hydrospheric p.s.
Atmospheric p.s. Microspheric p.s. Botanical p. s. Zoological p.s.
Hierarchy of self regulation Energetic hierarchy
Self
structurisation
Self organisation
Long term principle: Interaction
based on hierarchical
use of
THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Ib) SELF REGULATION - human dominated conditions
Solar radiation
Geospheric partial system Hydrospheric p.s. Atmospheric p.s. Microspheric p.s. Botanical p. s. Human activities based on non hierarchic resource exploitation
THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT I) From direct to indirect external regulation
Resources Population Reproduction
-+
+ +
State Ia): Direct regulation by external capacities
Reproduction Population Resources Additional Resources Resource Capacities
-+ + + + + +
THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT From direct to indirect external regulation - its consequences • Time delays between impact and effects
• Spatial differences between impact and effects • Loss of direct regulation effects
• Increased buffer capacities against short term variability of environmental conditions
THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT From direct to indirect regulation
-compensation of negative consequences
THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Basic needs for an internal regulation system
• Observation of system conditions • Extraction of relevant information • Decision for actions
• Realisation of the decisions
• MONITORING • ASSESSMENT • DECISION • PROGRAMMES PROJECTS.... REQUIREMENTS INSTRUMENTS
THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Constraints for an internal regulation system
• Irreversibility of the processes in social and environmental systems
• Interactions between qualitative different elements (structural complexity)
• Different temporal characteristics of the elements (temporal complexity)
• Different spatial distribution of the elements (spatial complexity)
THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Consequences for internal regulation system
• Ability for a sufficient processing of complexity • Limited availability of information
• Limited predictability of future development of social and environmental systems
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INTERNAL REGULATION SYSTEM
• Transformation of system complexity to the operational capacity of decision makers (structural conditions)
• Preparation of information according to the temporal characteristics of the decision system (methods)
• Efficient realisation of adequate measures to avoid negative effects (institutional conditions)
• Development of a system adequate “social memory” (documentation)
THE SOCIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DECISIONS
•
TRANSPARENCY
•
COMPARABILITY
•
EQUITY
THE SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS
• Perception depends on individual experiences and motivation
• Acceptance of decisions is influenced by individual objectives and expectations
• Values are depending on culture, religion, education, and individual conditions
APPROACHES FOR STANDARDISATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
1a) Assessment of EU regional funding programmes Different kinds of assessment in relation to the programme time schedule:
• Ex-ante assessment of programme plans
• Mid-term assessment at the mid term of programme • Accompanying assessment during the programme
APPROACHES FOR STANDARDISATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
1b) Assessment of EU regional funding programmes Objectives of the assessment
• General objectives concerning coherence of the programme • Specific objectives related to the involved funds
• Across fund objectives concerning gender, environment, employment, (sustainability)
APPROACHES FOR STANDARDISATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
1c) Assessment of EU regional funding programmes Standardisation
• Standardisation of the assessment procedure
• Standardisation of the indicator sets (only positive effects!) • Standardisation of reporting
APPROACHES FOR STANDARDISATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
1d) Assessment of EU regional funding programmes Constraints
• Limited data about the actual situation in the region • Different objectives of the individual funds
• Limited possibilities for identification of effects during mid-term and ex-post evaluation
APPROACHES FOR STANDARDISATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
1e) Assessment of EU regional funding programmes Experiences
• Improved comparability of assessment procedures and reports
• Weak interdependencies between the measures of different funds
APPROACHES FOR STANDARDISATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
2a) Assessment of the effects of the development plan of the Vienna airport on regional sustainability
Objectives
Identification of solutions meeting the needs for a regional sustainable development
APPROACHES FOR STANDARDISATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
2b) Assessment of the effects of the development plan of the Vienna airport on regional sustainability
General characteristics
• The whole assessment procedure is embedded in a mediation process
• All rules and methods for the assessment procedure are developed in co-operation with all involved parties step
APPROACHES FOR STANDARDISATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
2c) Assessment of the effects of the development plan of the Vienna airport on regional sustainability
Standardisation
• The assessment procedure follows the rules for strategic planning
• Standardisation of specific methods and indicators are defined in co-operation with the involved parties at the beginning of each process step
APPROACHES FOR STANDARDISATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
2d) Assessment of the effects of the development plan of the Vienna airport on regional sustainability
Experiences
• Integration of different opinions from experts and involved parties widens the view on a particular problem
• A scientific support is necessary for structured discussions of complex interdependencies
CONCLUSIONS
What could be standardised ? • General rules for the assessment • Assessment procedure
• Methods • Indicators • Criteria
CONCLUSIONS
What can be standardised ? • General rules for the assessment
• Assessment procedure under consideration of the specific tasks
CONCLUSIONS
Can standardisation of the assessment contribute to sustainable development ?
Without an improvement of the internal regulation system NOT REALLY
With an improvement of institutional framework conditions, and of monitoring systems
