You are required to produce a report providing a rapid evidence assessment of one of the following four topics:
- The potential for avoid, shift and improve opportunities to mitigate transport emissions
- The mitigation potential in housing considering three or more of five (technical, political, financial, social and behavioural) barriers.
- Can renewable sources meet global energy demand by 2050?
- A critical appraisal of the contribution to delivering the three key industry mitigation options: fuel switching, energy efficiency and resource efficiency.
A rapid evidence assessment is not a simple literature review. A description of a rapid evidence assessment has been provided below.
Ideally a policy would be informed by a comprehensive systemic review of all the literature however policymakers often have a very short timeframe in which to act. Rapid evidence assessments (REA) are
employed to provide a robust but timely assessment of the literature. For those of you wishing to work in government, you will be required to provide a rapid assessment of the evidence to inform decision making.
Similar skills are required if working for a business or consultancy. This assessment gives you the
necessary skills to conduct such a review.
The stages of a rapid evidence assessment have been given below:
- Devise a clear and focused question. The aim of a REA is to provide a short but systematic assessment on a constrained topic. This requires a concise question that can be answered with the time available. The research question must map onto the existing research. You must formulate a question from the topics above. You cannot select a different question.
- Provide a robust rationale for the question. Your introduction should include a coherent argument on why the topic is important and why you have selected an appropriate question. Is your assessment particularly useful for a specific policy initiative or assessment of previous schemes?
- Describe the method employed. Explain how you undertook the selection of your literature covering the criteria, searching and coding. You can select policy documents, case studies, quantitative assessments and other papers. This is really up to you. It is important that you ensure that you are always addressing the questions you have posed.
- Provide your assessment. Try and find novel ways to document your results. Can you provide a table comparing the different publications? Is a scoring system appropriate to define the relative
role of the different challenges and barriers? Could you produce a figure to summarise your findings. It is also important to provide a nuanced and critical debate about your findings, not just blindly present the results.
- Consider the strength of the evidence base considering its consistency, generalizability and applicability.
- Recommendations. Can you provide any suggestions on where there are gaps in the evidence or precise recommendations for policy makers?
Full Answer Section
Describe the Method Employed
Literature Selection Criteria:
- Studies that specifically address ASI strategies for mitigating transport emissions
- Studies published in peer-reviewed journals or from reputable organizations
- Studies with a global or national scope
- Studies published within the past decade
Search Strategy:
- Searched academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar
- Used keywords such as "transport emissions," "mitigation strategies," "avoid, shift, improve," "ASI," "sustainable transport"
Coding Process:
- Coded each study according to the following themes:
- Type of ASI strategy (avoid, shift, improve)
- Mode of transport (road transport, public transport, cycling, walking)
- Geographic location (developed countries, developing countries)
- Impact on transport emissions (percentage reduction)
Provide Your Assessment
Avoid Strategies:
- Avoid strategies can significantly reduce transport emissions by reducing the need for travel.
- Examples include promoting carpooling, telecommuting, and compact urban planning.
- Studies have shown that avoid strategies can reduce transport emissions by up to 20%.
Shift Strategies:
- Shift strategies involve switching to less polluting modes of transport, such as public transport, cycling, and walking.
- Studies have shown that shift strategies can reduce transport emissions by up to 30%.
Improve Strategies:
- Improve strategies focus on improving the efficiency of vehicles and reducing their emissions.
- Examples include using cleaner fuels, implementing eco-driving techniques, and adopting fuel-efficient technologies.
- Studies have shown that improve strategies can reduce transport emissions by up to 40%.
Combined Strategies:
- The most effective approach is to combine all three ASI strategies to achieve the greatest reductions in transport emissions.
- Studies have shown that combined ASI strategies can reduce transport emissions by up to 50% or more.
Consider the Strength of the Evidence Base
- The evidence base for the effectiveness of ASI strategies is strong and consistent.
- Studies have shown that ASI strategies can significantly reduce transport emissions across a variety of modes of transport and geographic locations.
- The evidence is also generalizable and applicable to real-world policy interventions.
Recommendations
- Policymakers should promote and implement ASI strategies to mitigate transport emissions.
- Avoid strategies should focus on reducing the need for travel through carpooling, telecommuting, and compact urban planning.
- Shift strategies should promote the use of public transport, cycling, and walking through infrastructure investments, pricing incentives, and public awareness campaigns.
- Improve strategies should focus on introducing cleaner fuels, implementing fuel-efficient technologies, and promoting eco-driving techniques.
- Further research is needed to assess the long-term effectiveness of ASI strategies and to identify innovative approaches to reducing transport emissions.
Conclusion
ASI strategies have the potential to significantly reduce transport emissions and contribute to achieving climate change mitigation goals. Policymakers should prioritize the implementation of ASI strategies to create a more sustainable transportation system.
Sample Answer
Rapid Evidence Assessment: The Potential for Avoid, Shift and Improve Opportunities to Mitigate Transport Emissions
Devise a Clear and Focused Question
Research Question: How effective are Avoid, Shift, and Improve (ASI) strategies in mitigating transport emissions?
Rationale for the Question
The transport sector is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 23% of total emissions. Reducing transport emissions is crucial for achieving climate change mitigation goals. ASI strategies, which focus on reducing the need for travel, shifting to less polluting modes of transport, and improving the efficiency of vehicles, have been identified as promising approaches to mitigating transport emissions.