IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i4p1558-d1337930.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Limitations of EMSs in Comparison with the SDGs When Considering Infrastructure Sustainability: The Case of the Terzo Valico Dei Giovi, Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Daniele Soraggi

    (Italian Excellence Center for Logistics, Infrastructure and Transport (CIELI), University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy)

  • Gabriele Ivano D’Amato

    (Italian Excellence Center for Logistics, Infrastructure and Transport (CIELI), University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy)

Abstract

Infrastructure plays the largest role in the amount of annual emissions, so much so that investments promoted in the European Union must be subjected to a careful assessment of the sustainability of projects. The current landscape for assessing the sustainability of infrastructure is varied and complex. Considering the object of the assessment methodologies (such as the Environmental Impact Assessment or the Ecological Management System) and specific tools such as Envision, there is a shift from the infrastructure in itself and the company’s actions to promoting sustainable development. This article introduces a methodology to examine how tools used in environmental impact assessments of transport infrastructure projects, regardless of the actor implementing them, align with different sustainable development objectives. Moreover, it identifies the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a reference point that can be used in estimating the validity of these instruments. This paper also validates the methodology proposed in our study, by comparing the results obtained on the Envision model with those obtained from its application in a case study regarding the Terzo Valico dei Giovi, a railway infrastructure in Italy. The article shows that although the final target is in many respects the same, the nuances with which actors pursue sustainability through the different instruments vary.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniele Soraggi & Gabriele Ivano D’Amato, 2024. "The Limitations of EMSs in Comparison with the SDGs When Considering Infrastructure Sustainability: The Case of the Terzo Valico Dei Giovi, Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-22, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:4:p:1558-:d:1337930
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/4/1558/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/4/1558/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dahlman, Carl J, 1979. "The Problem of Externality," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 22(1), pages 141-162, April.
    2. Roberto Merli & Michele Preziosi & Christian Ippolito, 2016. "Promoting Sustainability through EMS Application: A Survey Examining the Critical Factors about EMAS Registration in Italian Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-14, February.
    3. Emiel Afman & Steven Engels & Sven Langedijk & Philipp Pfeiffer & Jan in ‘t Veld, 2021. "An overview of the economics of the Recovery and Resilience Facility," Quarterly Report on the Euro Area (QREA), Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission, vol. 20(3), pages 7-16, December.
    4. Charles R. Hulten & Esra Bennathan & Sylaja Srinivasan, 2006. "Infrastructure, Externalities, and Economic Development: A Study of the Indian Manufacturing Industry," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 20(2), pages 291-308.
    5. Rennings, Klaus & Ziegler, Andreas & Ankele, Kathrin & Hoffmann, Esther, 2006. "The influence of different characteristics of the EU environmental management and auditing scheme on technical environmental innovations and economic performance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 45-59, April.
    6. Smith, Adam, 2008. "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations: A Selected Edition," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199535927 edited by Sutherland, Kathryn.
    7. Clara Celauro & Andrea Cardella & Marco Guerrieri, 2023. "LCA of Different Construction Choices for a Double-Track Railway Line for Sustainability Evaluations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
    8. Delmas, Magali A. & Montes-Sancho, Maria J., 2011. "An Institutional Perspective on the Diffusion of International Management System Standards: The Case of the Environmental Management Standard ISO 14001," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(1), pages 103-132, January.
    9. Cornes,Richard & Sandler,Todd, 1996. "The Theory of Externalities, Public Goods, and Club Goods," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521477185.
    10. David Levinson & David Gillen & Adib Kanafani, 1998. "The social costs of intercity transportation: a review and comparison of air and highway," Working Papers 199801, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    11. Cody R. Saville & Gretchen R. Miller & Kelly Brumbelow, 2016. "Using Envision to Assess the Sustainability of Groundwater Infrastructure: A Case Study of the Twin Oaks Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-15, May.
    12. Ioannis Chatziioannou & Luis Alvarez-Icaza & Efthimios Bakogiannis & Charalampos Kyriakidis & Luis Chias-Becerril, 2020. "A Structural Analysis for the Categorization of the Negative Externalities of Transport and the Hierarchical Organization of Sustainable Mobility’s Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-27, July.
    13. Emilio Ortega & Bel�n Mart�n & Encarnaci�n Gonzalez & Eduardo Moreno, 2016. "A contribution for the evaluation of the territorial impact of transport infrastructures in the early stages of the EIA: application to the Huelva (Spain)-Faro (Portugal) rail link," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(2), pages 302-319, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vítor Gaspar, 2010. "Financial Stability and Policy Cooperation," Working Papers o201001, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    2. Gregorio Martín‐de Castro & Javier Amores‐Salvadó & José E. Navas‐López, 2016. "Environmental Management Systems and Firm Performance: Improving Firm Environmental Policy through Stakeholder Engagement," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(4), pages 243-256, July.
    3. Christin Seifert & Edeltraud Guenther, 2020. "Who cares?—Stakeholder relevance for voluntary environmental management in hospitals," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1786-1799, July.
    4. Christin Seifert, 2018. "The Barriers for Voluntary Environmental Management Systems—The Case of EMAS in Hospitals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-19, May.
    5. Fleming, Euan & Griffith, Garry & Mounter, Stuart & Baker, Derek, 2018. "Consciously Pursued Joint Action: Agricultural and Food Value Chains as Clubs," 2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 276879, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    6. Oscar J. Cacho & Graham R. Marshall & Mary Milne, 2003. "Smallholder Agroforestry Projects: Potential for carbon sequestration and poverty alleviation," Working Papers 03-06, Agricultural and Development Economics Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO - ESA).
    7. Rocio Carrillo-Labella & Fatiha Fort & Manuel Parras-Rosa, 2020. "Motives, Barriers, and Expected Benefits of ISO 14001 in the Agri-Food Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, February.
    8. Tiberio Daddi & Fabio Iraldo & Francesco Testa & Maria Rosa De Giacomo, 2019. "The influence of managerial satisfaction on corporate environmental performance and reputation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 15-24, January.
    9. Fleming, Euan & Griffith, Garry & Mounter, Stuart & Baker, Derek, 2018. "Consciously Pursued Joint Action: Agricultural and Food Value Chains as Clubs," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 9(2), March.
    10. Gramzow, Andreas, 2009. "Rural development as provision of local public goods: Theory and evidence from Poland," Studies on the Agricultural and Food Sector in Transition Economies, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), volume 51, number 92313.
    11. Johan Eyckmans & Michael Finus, 2006. "New roads to international environmental agreements: the case of global warming," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 7(4), pages 391-414, December.
    12. Ingrid Ott & Stephen J. Turnovsky, 2006. "Excludable and Non‐excludable Public Inputs: Consequences for Economic Growth," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 73(292), pages 725-748, November.
    13. Andrew B. Whitford & Derrick Anderson, 2021. "Governance landscapes for emerging technologies: The case of cryptocurrencies," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(4), pages 1053-1070, October.
    14. Agarwalla, Astha, 2011. "Agglomeration Economies and Productivity Growth in India," IIMA Working Papers WP2011-01-08, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    15. Ren, Siyu & Hao, Yu & Xu, Lu & Wu, Haitao & Ba, Ning, 2021. "Digitalization and energy: How does internet development affect China's energy consumption?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    16. Acocella Nicola & Di Bartolomeo Giovanni, 2013. "Population location, commuting and local public goods: A political economy approach," wp.comunite 0105, Department of Communication, University of Teramo.
    17. Kverndokk, Snorre & Figenbaum, Erik & Hovi, Jon, 2020. "Would my driving pattern change if my neighbor were to buy an emission-free car?," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    18. Christoph P. Kiefer & Pablo Del Río González & Javier Carrillo‐Hermosilla, 2019. "Drivers and barriers of eco‐innovation types for sustainable transitions: A quantitative perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 155-172, January.
    19. Cornes Richard & Sandler Todd, 2000. "Pareto-Improving Redistribution and Pure Public Goods," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 1(2), pages 169-186, May.
    20. David Kelsey & Frank Milne, 2006. "Externalities, monopoly and the objective function of the firm," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 29(3), pages 565-589, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:4:p:1558-:d:1337930. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.