Sustainability Impact Unveiled: Validating a Multi-criteria tool for Assessing Citizen Initiatives

Abstract

Numerous studies highlight the pivotal role of Citizen Initiatives (CIs) in urban sustainability, yet existing methodologies often fall short in capturing their comprehensive neighborhood impact. This article validates the Multi-criteria tool for Assessing the Sustainability of CIs (MASCIs), specifically designed for the nuanced assessment of CIs on neighborhood sustainability. The primary objective is to thoroughly assess and validate MASCIs through a mixed-method approach, including interviews with fifteen experts surveyed on the system's suitability and application to six CIs in Barcelona. Results show that 53.33% of experts found current indicators suitable, with valuable suggestions for improvement. The implementation of the system in CIs validates the usefulness of the tool to quantify the impact of these initiatives in the community. The study reveals the nuanced nature of these initiatives, emphasizing context, stakeholder participation, and adaptability. This research enriches discussions on citizen-driven sustainability by addressing gaps in evaluation systems, deepening our understanding of their broader implications for urban development.

Keywords

• Multi-criteria evaluation tool
• social innovation
• citizen initiatives
• validation process
• urban sustainability