Frameworks for sustainable development in the city of Gothenburg - A case study of sustainability frameworks and indicators within the area of the built environment
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Program
Industrial ecology (MPTSE), MSc
Publicerad
2020
Författare
Dahlgren Camacho, Carolina
Simonsen, Frida
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
The aim of this thesis was to examine the perceptions of using frameworks and
indicators, such as Agenda 2030, for sustainable development within the area of
the built environment, in the City of Gothenburg. The opinions of the interviewed
stakeholders varied with regards to the need of using Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) locally. Several interviewees meant that the
municipality has an extensive amount of programs, and that Agenda 2030 should
not be handled in a separate program. Therefore, it seemed to be preferred that the
SDGs should be integrated in existing programs, or in financial control documents.
Further, findings from literature showed that there is a lack of knowledge regarding
sustainable development indicators (SDIs), and their impact on policy-making and
to have better outcomes. However, a local adoption of Agenda 2030 requires adaptation
of the global targets and indicators, to increase the relevance of the targets in
local sustainability reporting and policy-making. All private companies included in
this study were seen to have adopted Agenda 2030 for their operations. One of the
reasons was by the authors suggested to depend on that organizations less complex
than the municipal organization, face minor difficulties in the implementation, since
they in comparison are less obliged to adopt the whole set of goals. Considering
that studies have shown that the municipality already has strong steering towards
sustainability, another implemented sustainability framework may be perceived as
needless by politicians in the City Council and Committees. Conclusion regarding
the research question, about defining the sustainable city, was that especially concrete
targets and indicators are needed, else various actors involved with the built
environment, will not follow the same desired path towards the sustainably built city.
Furthermore, we the authors argue that SDG 11, in comparison to the national environmental
quality goal 15 - god bebyggd miljö (a good built environment), better
answer the question regarding the ’sustainably built city’. Furthermore, SDIs are
needed as they provide guidance. There are some important things to consider
when using indicators, such as that they are reflections of human values and never
purely objective, that not everything is meaningful to measure, and that indicators
purposed to assess sustainable development must be followed for a long time.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Agenda 2030, SDG 11, mål 15 - god bebyggd miljö, sustainable cities, sustainable development indicators, indicators, Gothenburg, building sector, built environment