An Octopus and a circle at the basis of a framework for the evaluation of sustainable mobility
Abstract
Worldwide, transportation authorities are keen to implement sustainable development measures and to move toward a more sustainable mobility for people and goods. However, this implementation entails a rise in the need for a sustainable development assessment framework for mobility, in order to compare different projects or to monitor a given area. This paper addresses the issue of conceptualization and standardization of the evaluation of sustainable development in transportation, by proposing a framework, which seeks to meet the various needs of transportation planners. This framework aims to provide an exhaustive view of the sustainability features (through its three main dimensions), as well as to clarify the concept of sustainability in transportation by embedding links between actions and impacts. This paper presents the basis of the framework developed as an interactive tool: (1) a representation named ‘Octopus’ categorizing the impact of mobility on the three dimensions of sustainable development and (2) a circular representation, named ‘Causal circle’, which integrates causal links between actions and impacts on these same dimensions.
First published online 29 March 2016
Keyword : sustainability, sustainable transport, sustainable mobility, evaluation, indicators, causal chain, impact, framework
How to Cite
Sioui, L., Morency, C., & Verreault, H. (2018). An Octopus and a circle at the basis of a framework for the evaluation of sustainable mobility. Transport, 33(1), 242-248. https://doi.org/10.3846/16484142.2016.1156021
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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WCED. 1987. Our Common Future. World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). Oxford University Press. 400 p.
Zegras, C. 2006. Sustainable transport indicators and assessment methodologies, in Biannual Conference and Exhibit of the Clean Air Initiative for Latin American Cities: Sustainable Transport: Linkages to Mitigate Climate Change and Improve Air Quality, 25–27 July 2006, São Paulo, Brazil, 1–17.
Zuindeau, B. 2006. Spatial approach to sustainable development: challenges of equity and efficacy, Regional Studies 40(5): 459–470. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00343400600757437
Castillo, H.; Pitfield, D. E. 2010. ELASTIC – a methodological framework for identifying and selecting sustainable transport indicators, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 15(4): 179–188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2009.09.002
Deakin, E. 2001. Sustainable Development and Sustainable Transportation: Strategies for Economic Prosperity, Environmental Quality, and Equity. Working Paper 2001-03. University of California at Berkeley, Institute of Urban and Regional Development. 41 p.
Gendron, C.; Revéret, J.-P. 2000. Le développement durable, Économies et Sociétés, Série F 37: 111–124. (in French).
Gilbert, R.; Irwin, N,; Hollingworth, B.; Blais, P.; Lu, H.; Brescacin, N. 2002. Sustainable Transportation Performance Indicators (STPI) Project. Report On Phase 3. Centre for Sustainable Transportation and IBI Group and Metropole Consultants. 125 p. Available from Internet: http://cst.uwin-nipeg.ca/documents/STPI%20Phase%203%20report.pdf
Gudmundsson, H. 2002. The role of performance indicators in sustainable transport policy, in K. C P. Wang, G. Xiao, L. Nie, H. Yang (Eds.). Traffic and Transportation Studies: Proceedings of the International Conference on Traffic and Transportation Studies (ICTTS) 2002, 23–25 July 2002, Guilin, China, 33–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/40630(255)5
Gudmundsson, H.; Sørensen, C. H. 2011. The use and influences of indicators in European sustainable transport policy, in European Transport Conference 2011, 10 October 2011, Glasgow, UK. Available from Internet:
http://abstracts.aetransport.org/paper/index/id/3685/confid/17
Hardy, D. K. 2011. Sustainability 101: a primer for ITE members, ITE Journal 81(4): 28–34.
Jeon, C. M.; Amekudzi, A. 2005. Addressing Sustainability in transportation systems: definitions, indicators, and metrics, Journal of Infrastructure Systems 11(1): 31–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1076-0342(2005)11:1(31)
Jeon, C. M.; Amekudzi, A. A.; Guensler, R. L. 2013. Sustainability assessment at the transportation planning level: performance measures and indexes, Transport Policy 25: 10–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2012.10.004
Johnston, R. A.; Gao, S. 2009. Public versus Private Mobility for the Poor: Transit Improvements versus Increased Car Ownership in the Sacramento Region. MTI Research Report 08-02. Mineta Transportation Institute, College of Business, San José State University. 46 p. Available from Internet: http://transweb.sjsu.edu/project/2403.html
http://transweb.sjsu.edu/project/2403.html
Jones, S.; Tefe, M.; Appiah-Opoku, S. 2013. Proposed framework for sustainability screening of urban transport projects in developing countries: a case study of Accra, Ghana, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 49: 21–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2013.01.003
Joumard, R.; Gudmundsson, H.; Folkeson, L. 2011. Framework for assessing indicators of environmental impacts in the transport sector, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2242: 55–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/2242-07
Lautso, K. 2004. The Propolis Approach to Urban Sustainability – Theory and Results from Seven European Case Cities, in European Transport Conference 2004, 4 October 2004, Strasbourg, France. Available from Internet:
http://abstracts.aetransport.org/paper/index/id/1958/confid/10
Litman, T. 2015. Well Measured: Developing Indicators for Sustainable and Livable Transport Planning. Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Canada. 101 p. Available from Internet: http://www.vtpi.org/wellmeas.pdf
Maoh, H.; Kanaroglou, P. 2009. A tool for evaluating urban sustainability via integrated transportation and land use simulation models, Environnement Urbain / Urban Environment 3: 28–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.7202/037599ar
Marsden, G.; Kimble, M.; Nellthorp, J.; Kelly, C. 2010. Sustainability assessment: the definition deficit, International Journal of Sustainable Transportation 4(4): 189–211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15568310902825699
Nichols, J.; Garrick, N.; Atkinson-Palombo, C. 2009. A framework for developing indicators of sustainability for transportation planning, in TRB 88th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers, 11–15 January 2009, Washington, DC, 1–15.
Rodrigues da Silva, A. N.; Costa, M. S.; Ramos, R. A. R. 2010. Development and application of I_SUM: an index of sustainable urban mobility, in TRB 89th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers, 10–14 January 2010, Washington, DC, 1–18.
Sioui, L. 2015. Sustainable Mobility Framework: the Causal Circle & the Octopus. Available from Internet: http://chaire-mobilite.civil.polymtl.ca/imd/imd-en.html
TRB. 1997. Toward a Sustainable Future: Addressing the LongTerm Effects of Motor Vehicle Transportation on Climate and Ecology. Special Report 251. Transportation Research Board (TRB). Washington DC, USA, National Academy Press. 275 p. Available from Internet: http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/sr/sr251.pdf
UN. 2012. The Future We Want: Outcome document adopted at Rio+20. United Nations (UN). 49 p. Available from Internet: http://www.un.org/en/sustainablefuture
Verry, D.; Nicolas, J.-P. 2005. Indicateurs de mobilité durable: de l’état de l’art à la définition des indicateurs dans le projet SIMBAD. Rapport intermédiaire n°2 du projet Simbad SImuler les MoBilités pour une Agglomération Durable. 99 p. Available from Internet: https://halshs.archives-ou-vertes.fr/halshs-00101352 (in French).
Vivien, F.-D. 2003. Jalons pour une histoire de la notion de développement durable, Mondes en développement 1(121): 1–21. (in French). http://dx.doi.org/10.3917/med.121.0001
WCED. 1987. Our Common Future. World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). Oxford University Press. 400 p.
Zegras, C. 2006. Sustainable transport indicators and assessment methodologies, in Biannual Conference and Exhibit of the Clean Air Initiative for Latin American Cities: Sustainable Transport: Linkages to Mitigate Climate Change and Improve Air Quality, 25–27 July 2006, São Paulo, Brazil, 1–17.
Zuindeau, B. 2006. Spatial approach to sustainable development: challenges of equity and efficacy, Regional Studies 40(5): 459–470. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00343400600757437