Assessment of port sustainability through synthetic indexes. Application to the Spanish case

Fernando González Laxe; Federico Martín Bermúdez; Federico Martín Palmero; Isabel Novo-Corti

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.03.064

Assessment of port sustainability through synthetic indexes. Application to the Spanish case

Mar Pollut Bull. 2017 Jun 15;119(1):220-225. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.03.064. Epub 2017 Apr 8.

Authors

Fernando González Laxe¹, Federico Martín Bermúdez², Federico Martín Palmero³, Isabel Novo-Corti⁴

Affiliations

¹ University Institute of Maritime Studies, A Coruña University, Spain. Electronic address: laxe@udc.es.
² National Distance Education University (UNED), Pontevedra, Spain. Electronic address: fedmartin@pontevedra.uned.es.
³ University Institute of Maritime Studies, A Coruña University, Spain; Department of Economic Analysis and Business Administration, A Coruña University, Spain; Economic Studies Research Group: Transport, Work and Sustainability, A Coruña University, Spain. Electronic address: fgmartin@udc.es.
⁴ University Institute of Maritime Studies, A Coruña University, Spain; Department of Economic Analysis and Business Administration, A Coruña University, Spain; Economic Development and Social Sustainability (EDaSS) Research Group, A Coruña University, Spain. Electronic address: isabel.novo.corti@udc.es.

PMID: 28396076
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.03.064

Abstract

In general, Synthetic Indexes of sustainability have been applied to specific countries and regions. With some variations, the ones considered simple, such as the case of the Ecological Footprint (EF), have been applied to port areas. The same has not happened with those of a multidimensional nature (Global Synthetics) that still have a minimal and partial presence in the analysis of port sustainability. Understanding that this type of index represents an interesting and novel avenue of research applied to port systems, this contribution analyses and ranks a sample of 16 Spanish Port Authorities that group 23 ports of general interest using a Global Synthetic Index of Sustainability (developed using the four dimensions of sustainable development: economic, institutional, environmental and social).

Keywords: Ports; Spain; Sustainable development; Synthetic indicators.

MeSH terms

Conservation of Natural Resources*
Environment
Models, Theoretical
Research
Spain