Indicators to Assess Sustainability of Transport Activities - Part 2: Measurement and Evaluation of Transport Sustainability Performance in the EU27

Abstract

Inspired by the growing interest of academic and policy environments in the field of transport sustainability, this work focuses on the measurement and assessment of transport activities in the European Union (EU) with the use of transport sustainability indicators. On the basis of major international transport related indicator initiatives a set of 55 transport sustainability indicators has been developed (as defined in the first part of the report by Dobranskyte-Niskota et al., 2007) where due to lack of data 32 indicators have been assessed in quantitative terms and the JRC SusTrans Index has been developed. The Joint Research Centre software tool entitled ¿the Dashboard of Sustainability¿ based on a simple graphic interface has been applied to the JRC SusTrans Index in the assessment of transport sustainability performance in the EU Member States. The Dashboard tool has compared indicator groups using the EWA method and communicated a quick impression by pointing to areas where transport indicators showed particular success or problems. Additionally, the Dashboard tool has been also applied to the Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism (TERM) indicator set developed by the European Environmental Agency and the TERM Index has been calculated. The TERM Index has been used as a reference point to benchmark transport sustainability performance results of the EU Member States obtained by the SusTrans Index. The outcomes of the two indices (the SusTrans and the TERM) have revealed the highest rank of transport sustainability performance in Germany and Netherlands while the lowest performance ranks - in Greece and Bulgaria. The results of the two indices have revealed many similarities, while some differences in the outcomes observed are due to the variations in the structures of the indices. This in-depth analysis of EU 27 transport activities by the selected sustainability indicators using adequate modelling tools serves as valuable guidelines for forming transport policy strategies and scenarios. These policies aim to reduce negative impacts of transport activities with the final goal of achieving a sustainable transportation system in the European Union.

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