The developed method has various applications and the possibilities of its use can be divided - 1) to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing measures on the road and to achieve the set goals and develop recommendations.
2) to assess the effectiveness of already developed environmental policy measures in the medium term or to help develop more sustainable policies in the process of developing new policy measures.
1. to evaluate the effectiveness of existing measures along the way and to achieve the set goals and develop recommendations
Steps and methods used:
1. Classification of policy measures
2. Identification and selection of key impact indicators (based on both scientific literature and research).
3. Development of an evaluation form for policy measures to assess the impact of indicators and the relevance of each indicator (%).
4. Expert evaluation. To assess the impact of the selected policy measures, expert surveys were developed to assess the weight of the indicators and to rank the measures according to their impact. The policy measures were then classified into three groups according to expert indicators: strong measures, moderate measures, low measures.
5. To assess the impact of policy measures based on selected indicators, one of the multi-criteria analysis methods, the TOPSIS method, is used to assign weights.
6. The developed methodology is validated by comparing the obtained results with the complex sustainability index. To assess which measures have a high impact and which have a lower impact, all measures are divided into three groups: low, medium and high.
2) jau izstrādātu vides politikas pasākumu efektivitātes novērtēšanai vidussposmā vai jaunu politikas pasākumu izstrādes procesā palīdzinot veidot ilgtspējīgākas politikas.
The mid-term evaluation
To assess promptly whether the proposed measures will achieve the set climate objectives, it is necessary to carry out a mid-term evaluation of the measures included in the environmental policy guidelines based on the criteria already identified. The environmental policy guidelines do not assess the impact of the proposed measures and do not specify quantifiable achievable indicators, and therefore it is not possible to assess whether the measures will be implemented and what are the factors and obstacles influencing the implementation of the measure.
Objective to be achieved: to provide clear criteria for policymakers - experts and officials, companies to assess and forecast the achievement of the indicators set in the measures and the compliance of the measures with the set European Union and national climate goals during the mid-term evaluation. As a result, the understanding of the factors influencing the success of policy measures is improved, enabling partial or complete non-compliance to be avoided in a timely manner.
The mid-term evaluation methodologies include an overall evaluation of the policy measure and shall serve as the first 'sieve' to describe the environmental policy measures in the context of the climate objectives and the mid-term and cumulative indicators to be achieved. The second part includes a qualitative assessment of indicator-based environmental policy measures. Both the general and the qualitative assessment yield an appropriate number of points, according to which it is possible to identify in a timely manner whether there are significant deficiencies that will prevent the achievement of the objectives set in the environmental policy measure. By identifying the current situation, it is possible to eliminate the identified obstacles in a timely manner and identify additional actions to achieve the intended goals.
A checklist has been set up for the mid-term evaluation, which should include the following information for each measure:
• Describe the environmental policy measure and its purpose
• Main benefits/result to be achieved, intended impact
• Tasks/activities within the framework of the environmental policy measure (description of the activity, justification of the necessity)
• to determine the connection of the measure with the European Union and national environmental policy documents
• Measures set for the whole period, indicators to be achieved for a specific activity, schedule, responsible institutions, monitoring indicators, monitoring activities, funding, funding sources
• What to achieve on the mid-term evaluation - defined measures, indicators to be achieved, schedule, responsible institutions, monitoring indicators, monitoring activities, funding, funding sources. Indicators section. To assess the success of environmental policy measures and to identify in a timely manner the factors that may affect the success of the measure, it is necessary to perform an impact assessment of indicator-based environmental policy measures (initial risk analysis).
Policymakers can use the developed methodology of policy measures to assess the impact of measures set out in both macro and micro policy documents. • The obtained results will allow avoiding timely development of unjustified measures and failure to achieve the set climate goals. The developed methodology will be used by policymakers in the decision-making process. • It will be possible to use the methodology both for the evaluation of specific national environmental policy measures and changes in legislation, as well as for the evaluation of the efficiency of specific companies. Using the developed methodology, it will be possible to identify factors in energy policy that may hinder the achievement of the set climate goals and provide solutions that can help policymakers to avoid them. The methodology developed for policymakers will allow the use of an ex-ante evaluation system before each measure is included to assess and predict whether a given policy measure will achieve its climate neutrality objectives. • The information obtained can then be used to integrate into the system dynamics model to develop future policy scenarios for achieving climate targets. • The possibilities of using the methodology have been tested in the academic study process - for bachelor students of environmental engineering, evaluating the environmental policy measures in the existing Bioeconomy strategies and based on the checklist for the evaluation of the measure's effectiveness, developing new environmental policy measures to achieve climate neutrality, establishing the Latvian Bioeconomy Action Plan for 2030 with an interim evaluation for 2025.
The methodology can be used to assess the effectiveness of different levels of policy measures. The methodology can be used from business plans to municipal policy action plans, policymakers, for example, by improving the environmental policy measures and action directions set out in the National Energy and Climate Plan.
• The methodology serves as a practical tool for political and strategic decision makers (municipalities, state institutions, ministries, organisations) in all important decision-making phases.
•The methodology can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of policies at different levels. The methodology can be used from business plans to municipal policy action plans, e.g. in improving the environmental policies and action directions set out in the National Energy and Climate Plan.
The methodology can be used to analyze different sectoral policy measures.
• The methodology can be used to assess the effectiveness of already developed policy measures, with the evaluation of indicators helping to identify critical aspects and weaknesses that will hinder the achievement of the set goals.
• The methodology can also be used to assess the effectiveness of new or emerging policies and the design of sustainable policies, for example by anticipating possible side effects.
• RTU VASSI scientists offer an already developed methodology, the use of which has been approbated in the academic study process together with Environmental Engineering students by evaluating existing policy measures and developing new environmental policy measures by developing a Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy Action Plan.
Policy measures,indicators,efficiency,composite sustainability index,Policy measures,indicators,efficiency,composite sustainability index