Analytical support tools for sustainable futures

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the usefulness of analytical tools for policy evaluation. The study focuses on a multi‐method integrated toolkit for sustainability assessment, the so‐called SMILE toolkit 1. This toolkit is developed to provide salient features that are required for monitoring policy‐making in a spatial‐environmental context. The sustainable development perspective is rather difficult to operationalize due to its dynamism and its multi- dimensionality. Therefore, in this study, we aim to assess the usefulness of the SMILE toolkit for sustainable development issues on the basis of a systemic set of critical factors for sustainable development. We will demonstrate the usefulness of the toolkit in order to create awareness among policymakers on the critical factors for sustainable development in the future