Multi-criteria assessment framework for evaluation of Green Deal performance

Area of Science:

• Environmental policy
• Climate change mitigation
• Sustainable development

Background:

• The European Green Deal (EGD) is a critical policy framework for climate change mitigation.
• Achieving global environmental sustainability requires collective action and rapid progress.
• Disparities in economic conditions and infrastructure influence national adaptation to green transformation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of EU member states in relation to the European Green Deal.
• To assess performance across protecting, reducing, and enabling dimensions using a multi-criteria decision-making approach.
• To identify key performance indicators and country-specific outcomes for EGD compliance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach for performance evaluation.
• Employed the MEREC method to determine criterion weights.
• Applied the MAIRCA method to rank EU member states based on EGD performance using Eurostat data.

Main Results:

• Primary energy consumption and freight transport modes were identified as the most significant criteria for EGD compliance.
• The Netherlands demonstrated the highest EGD performance, followed by Sweden.
• Ireland and Cyprus were identified as the lowest-performing member states.

Conclusions:

• The MCDM methodology provides a robust framework for assessing EGD performance across EU member states.
• Significant variations in performance highlight the need for tailored strategies to support green transformation.
• The study underscores the importance of specific indicators like energy consumption and transport modes in achieving climate goals.