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The Role of Indicator-Based Sustainability Assessment in Policy and the Decision-Making Process: A Review and Outlook

Author

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  • Didem Dizdaroglu

    (School of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey)

Abstract

In order to regulate natural processes and control the scale of human activities, sustainability assessment needs to be integrated into urban planning. In this context, indicator-based sustainability assessment tools are fundamental instruments that provide information to support policy and decision-making. Indicators are necessary to monitor the implementation of the policies and provide feedback needed to accomplish the desirable state of sustainable urban development. This paper aims to explore the role of indicator-based sustainability assessment in policy and the decision-making process. Therefore, it reviews the identified sustainable development indicator initiatives and addresses the research gaps in the literature for future improvement of sustainability assessment frameworks. It concludes with a discussion that the major problem in sustainability assessment lies in the gathering of reliable and accessible data.

Suggested Citation

  • Didem Dizdaroglu, 2017. "The Role of Indicator-Based Sustainability Assessment in Policy and the Decision-Making Process: A Review and Outlook," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-28, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:6:p:1018-:d:101527
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Walter, Christof & Stützel, Hartmut, 2009. "A new method for assessing the sustainability of land-use systems (I): Identifying the relevant issues," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1275-1287, March.
    2. Tom Waas & Jean Huge & Thomas BLOCK & Tarah Wright & Francisco Javier Benitez Capistros & Aviel Verbruggen, 2014. "Sustainability assessment and indicators: Tools in a decision-making strategy for sustainable development," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/189410, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    3. Walter, Christof & Stützel, Hartmut, 2009. "A new method for assessing the sustainability of land-use systems (II): Evaluating impact indicators," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1288-1300, March.
    4. Stephan, André & Stephan, Laurent, 2016. "Life cycle energy and cost analysis of embodied, operational and user-transport energy reduction measures for residential buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 445-464.
    5. Elizabeth Karol & Julie Brunner, 2009. "Tools for Measuring Progress towards Sustainable Neighborhood Environments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 1(3), pages 1-16, September.
    6. Tom Waas & Jean Hugé & Thomas Block & Tarah Wright & Francisco Benitez-Capistros & Aviel Verbruggen, 2014. "Sustainability Assessment and Indicators: Tools in a Decision-Making Strategy for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-23, August.
    7. Bushra Waheed & Faisal Khan & Brian Veitch, 2009. "Linkage-Based Frameworks for Sustainability Assessment: Making a Case for Driving Force-Pressure-State-Exposure-Effect-Action (DPSEEA) Frameworks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 1(3), pages 1-23, August.
    8. Didem Dizdaroglu & Tan Yigitcanlar, 2016. "Integrating urban ecosystem sustainability assessment into policy-making: insights from the Gold Coast City," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(11), pages 1982-2006, November.
    9. Catalina Turcu, 2013. "Re-thinking sustainability indicators: local perspectives of urban sustainability," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(5), pages 695-719, June.
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