Sustainable Development Goals impact assessment framework for energy projects (SDGs- IAE)
Reference as: Castor, J.; Bacha, K.; Fuso Nerini, F. SDGs in action: A novel framework for assessing energy projects against the Sustainable Development Goals. Energy Research and Social Sciences, 2020 ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101556 ) (This publication refers to Version 1.1 for download)
versions: A new version including actions has been released, as described in: Leite de Almeida, C.M., Bergqvist, E., Thacker, S. et al. Actions to align energy projects with the Sustainable Development Goals. Discov Sustain 2, 16 (2021). (https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-021-00020-3) (The newest version is downloadable above under ´Framework_SDG_IAE_Actions´)
Note: The tool can be download and used for non commercial purposes and it is the excel file dowloadable at this page: SDGs-IAE Framework - Version n.n.xlsm
please use the ´issues´ function above to comment, ask for further developments, upload applications of the tool with comments and questions, or to propose modifications.
The SDGs-IAE Framework is a questionnaire-accessed database of interlinkages between energy projects and the SDG’s targets, consisting of a maximum of 94 questions for energy project developers and decision-makers to answer for a given project. There is a potential for synergy with 94 targets and trade-off with 58 targets. However, because of the nested nature of many of the questions, most projects will not require all 94 questions to be answered and a smaller number of possible synergies and trade-offs will be identified in each context. By filling in the questionnaire with project-related information, users can find a longlist of possible ways a project can positively or negatively affect the local and global attainment of all SDGs. Based on academic and grey literature, the Framework is designed to be evidence-based and apolitical. It has a user-friendly interface and an accessible questionnaire for broad usability. Finally, it is intended to be used by all stakeholders in a project. The list of possible synergies and trade-offs generated by the completion of the questionnaire is a valuable tool for project stakeholders because it quickly highlights the wider sustainable development impacts of a given energy project in a way that is easy to digest for those unfamiliar with the SDGs. Further, the tool highlights the multi-sectoral impacts of energy projects and can work to break down siloed thinking. The evaluation asks questions regarding various project details, including location, economic planning, and end-uses for the energy. The series of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions are generally straightforward to answer; users also have the option to answer ‘maybe’ or ‘yes and no’, which returns all possible synergies and trade-offs for either case, as well as any resulting follow-up questions. Questions using terminology or concepts that users may not be familiar with are accompanied by a short explanation and link to further information in the form of published academic literature or UN publications. In-depth explanations of general reasons for synergies and trade-offs are also provided to initiate a process of further exploration in each target area. The results also produce a visual categorization of the SDGs into three groups, according to the three pillars of sustainable development, namely Society, Economy and Environment. While the framework is useful for single users attempting an initial sustainability analysis of an energy project, its ideal use is in a workshop setting with representatives from different stakeholder groups (e.g. project developers, community representatives, policy makers and funders).
Download the excel file: SDGs-IAE Framework - Version n.n.xlsm
Modifications to the Workbook outside of the directions below may lead to malfunction. Do not manually unhide or rehide rows. Do not paste into cells with data validation. This file is compatible with Microsoft Excel for Windows. This file is largely compatible with Microsoft Excel for Mac Versions 16.16 or later; some functionality such as "More Information" and results sorting is not available.
1 Confirm that macros are enabled for this excel workbook. If not, reopen the workbook and enable macros.
2 Move to the "Questionnaire" tab. Fill in all questions using the drop-down menus. If you are unsure of an answer, use the option "Maybe". If the answer to the question could be both Yes and No, use the option "Yes and No". This will ensure that all possible results are returned.
-
More questions may appear based on your answers. It is recommended, though not necessary, that you answer the questions in order.
-
If possible, avoid using the "Other" selection for project type. If your project is close to one of the specific options available, it is recommended to use that selection.
-
For hybrid energy projects, the framework should be filled separately for each component of the project. After that, the results may be combined.
-
Questions that use specific terminology include a "More Information" button. Click this button to see a more detailed description of the question, and a link to more information if applicable.
3 Press the "See My Results" button. Two new Sheets will appear with the results of the tool. This may take a few moments.
4 Use the "User Defined Priority" column to set the relevance of each target to your project. 5 indicates the most relevant, while 1 indicates the least. 0 indicates that the target is not relevant at all.
5 Press the "Organize Results" button. A new Sheet will appear at the end of the workbook. This sheet displays the targets organized based on the relevance chosen in the previous Sheet.
6 If you would like to change your questionnaire answers after pressing "See My Results", you must press "Reset" to reset the Results sheets. If you would like to change your prioritization after pressing the "Organize Results" button, you must press "Re-Prioritize".
The "Results_Graphic" sheet gives a graphic representation of the results, organized into the three pillars of sustainability: Economy, Society, Environment. Orange Box: Possible trade-off Green Box: Possible synergy
The "Results" sheet gives descriptions of the possible SDG linkages for your project. Descriptions of each column are shown below. Column A: Target with a linkage to your project. Column B: Description of that target, as set forth by the UN. Column C: Shows if the linkages is a synergy or a trade-off. Column D: Short description of the linkage, as written by the authors. Column E: Section in which the linkage was obtained. Column F: Specific question within that section that produced the linkage. Column G: User-defined priority. Fill in as applicable to your project.
The "Organized_Results" sheet gives the information on the "Results" sheet organized by User-Defined Priority. Note that any targets given a priority of 0 will not appear.
The results of this tool are intended to be informational only, and do not represent definite answers. The synergies and trade-offs achieved may not be applicable to every project, and users should exercise their own judgement when using the results.
The research work for this article was funded by the Formas grant no. 2018-01253.