Measuring the level of environmental performance in insular areas, through key performed indicators, in the framework of waste strategy development

Abstract

To measure "something that is not there", is not easy and at the same time not fully understandable and perceived by the citizens. Several elements (such as, waste production, waste management cost, social attitude and behaviour, etc.) interrupt and disturb any strategy in the framework of waste management. Additionally, through the European Green Deal (EGD), Europe is trying to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, taking into account the Circular Economy Strategy (CES) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).A Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) breakdown was applied, to establish and organize key information's on the environmental performance (E.P) taking into consideration the existing pollution, reviewing the contemporary knowledge and existing implemented waste strategies on the driving forces, pressures, states and impacts. This paper includes several key performed indicators (KPIs), in order to evaluate the E.P of an area, through hybrid approach which cover among others, the waste compositional analysis, SWOT and PESTEL analysis, waste recycling and waste accumulation index, prevention activities, awareness activities etc. The results indicate that, the selected areas implement periodic measures, but they need to put more effort to boost their citizens to participate in any proposed waste strategy. Furthermore, the results are very valuable and helpful to policy makers, consultants, scientists, competent authorities, stakeholders etc., in order to design and promote synergies and activities (mainly in Local Authorities), to reach the proposed figures that EGD, proposed in relation with the CES as well as with the SDGs.

Coastal vulnerability analysis to support strategies for tackling COVID-19 infection

“…It represents a fundamental step to identify coastal areas more susceptible to vulnerability assessment ( Hzami et al, 2021 ; López Royo et al, 2016 ). Starting from the available data, some key physical parameters were defined ( Barman et al, 2016 ; Loizia et al, 2021b ; Ranasinghe, 2016 ). The physical parameters considered for the vulnerability evaluation are listed in Table 1 , together with the sources providing this data and the time period covered by the same data respectively ( Papathoma-Köhle et al, 2019 ).…”

Urban strategies evaluation for waste management in coastal areas in the framework of area metabolism

“…According to Zorpas et al, (2014a), Kiessling et al, (2017) and Agapiou et al, (2020) household and tourist activities will continue to be the main polluter worldwide taking into account the production of municipal waste. Hence, Vardopoulos et al, (2020) mentioned that economic and social development will continue to put pressure on the environment. (b) Pressure (P) : There is much evidence provided by many researchers (Abylkhani et al, 2020; Agapiou et al, 2020; Economist, 2018; Eurostat, 2019; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2011; Loizia et al, 2018; Loizia et al, 2019; WRAP, 2008; World Bank, 2018; Loizia et al, 2021) that the production and the generation of the waste will continue to increase. As a result of this the waste generation in coastal area will also continue to increase.…”

“…(b) Pressure (P) : There is much evidence provided by many researchers (Abylkhani et al, 2020; Agapiou et al, 2020; Economist, 2018; Eurostat, 2019; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2011; Loizia et al, 2018; Loizia et al, 2019; WRAP, 2008; World Bank, 2018; Loizia et al, 2021) that the production and the generation of the waste will continue to increase. As a result of this the waste generation in coastal area will also continue to increase.…”

“…Indicators according to many researchers such as Gamberini et al (2013), Vardopoulos (2017), Vardopoulos (2018), Vardopoulos et al (2018, 2020), Zorpas (2020), and Loizia et al (2021), are generally sets of computations, aiming to simplify, quantify and transmit certain and more solid evidences, and information based on real and measurable data, while at the same time these could help policy-makers, citizens, stakeholders, etc., to identify and clarify information that is not directly and basically clearly visible. Furthermore, indicators are considered as a valuable tool for evaluating, validating, determining, and measuring any progress and improvement in achieving a specific target and/or goal.…”

“…There are several KPIs to assess the level of an area or to quantify something that is not really there (directly recognizable and identifiable either from the citizens or the stakeholders). Such KPIs related to evaluation and or validation of the existing waste management strategy, as well as the level of sustainability, may include TAEs, TI, TD, life cycle analysis, waste compositional analysis (C-MSW), clean coast index (CCI), accumulation rate (AR), waste accumulation index (WAI), waste generation index or rate (WGR), driving force–pressure–state–impact–response (DPSIR), waste recycling index (R-MSW), waste recovery index or rate (WRR), existing waste infrastructure per citizen (WI), prevention activities and or awareness activities as well as other qualitative approaches such as political, economic, socio-cultural and technological and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analyses (Abylkhani et al, 2020; Fernandez-Aracil et al, 2018; Inglezakis and Zorpas, 2014; Lasaridi et al, 2015; Loizia et al, 2018, 2021; Mori and Christodoudou, 2012; Priyadarshini and Abhilash, 2020; Tofalli et al, 2018; Tsangas et al, 2020, Urban Wins, 2019; Vardopoulos et al, 2020; Wang et al, 2018a, 2018b; Zorpas, 2020).…”