Assessing sustainability with multi-criteria methods: A methodologically focused literature review

Axel Lindfors

doi:10.1016/j.indic.2021.100149

Abstract

In this literature review, the use of multi-criteria assessment methods to perform sustainability assessments was studied. It focused on key methodological choices and the theoretical underpinnings of these choices. The review was divided into seven themes: (1) reasons for applying multi-criteria assessments, (2) how assessment alternatives were selected, (3) how criteria and indicators were selected and defined, (4) what interpretation methods were applied, (5) how weights were generated, (6) how studies applied uncertainty management, and (7) how studies dealt with incommensurability, compensability and incomparability of criteria. The review shows a need for increased methodological transparency, such as giving insight into how alternatives, criteria, and indicators have been selected and why certain methods are chosen over others. In addition, stakeholder participation should be viewed as an end in itself and not simply be used instrumentally. Furthermore, it is recommended that multi-criteria assessments apply interpretation methods that imply incommensurability or weak commensurability of criteria when performing sustainability assessment to respect the value-plurality of sustainability and follow the notion of strong sustainability. Finally, future research is needed about how multi-criteria assessments are used in decision-making processes to foster sustainable development and how they may be used as pedagogical tools for social learning.

Highlights

As perhaps the most influential vision of future society, sustainable development seeks to integrate the most pressing and challenging issues that societies across the globe currently face
The stated reasons for why multi-criteria assessment1 (MCA) was applied were analysed to un derstand why the articles of the review chose to apply MCA
The results show that MCA, when performing an sustainability assessment (SA), is often applied due to the MCA’s ability to integrate knowledge based on multiple criteria

Summary

Introduction

As perhaps the most influential vision of future society, sustainable development seeks to integrate the most pressing and challenging issues that societies across the globe currently face. In sustainable develop ment, challenges such as social struggles, environmental harm, and economic development all fit under the same umbrella These challenges should be addressed as one integrated and complex challenge (United Nations, 2015; United Nations, 1987). To ensure that these solutions are effective in supporting sustainable development and that they do so in a resource-efficient way, methods of analysis, assessment, and evaluation will be necessary (Pope et al, 2017; Pope et al, 2004). SA is concerned with both negative impacts and positive contributions to sustainability (Bond et al, 2012) It is a (partially) normative assessment method seeking to provide both objective information relevant to various sustainability challenges and notions of how this information aligns with social norms and stakeholders’ value orientations (Kates et al, 2005; Waas et al, 2014). This discussion is sometimes framed as the problem of weak or strong sus tainability (Ayres et al, 2001) or through the ideas of compensability and commensurability (Martinez-Alier et al, 1998; O’Neill, 1993)

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion