Evaluating the assessment of the Portuguese national plan for climate change transports mitigation measures

Abstract

This paper evaluates the transport reference and additional measures assessment scheme considered under the Portuguese national plan for climate change (PNAC). Fifteen indicators were used to evaluate both the structure of the assessment scheme and the results achieved with it. Structure evaluation indicators consider the definition of institutional responsibilities, concrete actions, the actions' schedule, the actions' costs, expected results by action, progress indicators by action, measure effectiveness indicators, measure environmental effectiveness indicators and the assessment methodology, measure by measure. Results evaluation indicators look at the progress reports of the first semester of 2007, analysing if action plans, progress reports, progress indicators by action, measure effectiveness indicators and measure environmental effectiveness indicators were presented and if the actions' schedule was accomplished. Both for reference and additional measures the results of most indicators show that the structure has not been able to ensure the desired assessment results. For most measures there wasn't an assessment methodology defined. Regarding information availability for both types of measures most of the indicators have negative results. There are a small number of actions and measures that present their progress and effectiveness indicators. To ensure that the mitigation potential of transport measures considered in the PNAC is achieved, special attention is required in the definition of assessment methodologies and in the presentation of information for the indicators.