BUSTRIP Peer review method Sakari Saarinen, BUSTRIP Project Officer, Union of the Baltic Cities, Commission on Environment Tools demonstration, Seville 23 March 2007

What is Peer Review? Two broad models: “Critical friends providing independent assessment of our progress towards benchmarks” “Independent audit against benchmarks of a publicly available report providing assurance for stakeholders”

Peer Review is: The “considered judgement” (assessment) of the experts on the “progress being made” (performance) by municipalities towards a benchmark (or “ideal”).

Peer Review offers a; Honest third party review of achievements and future prospects. Cost effective and often more politically acceptable alternative to consultants. Way to add credibility to municipalities’ work demonstrating them as a role model. Stimulation for internal and external communication Capacity building and eye opening for different city departments

Examples of existing Peer Review systems; PRESUD ( ) EMAS Peer Reviews for cities ( ) Liveable cities (2006) BUSTRIP (2006) Aalborg Commitment Peer Reviews (2007)

BUSTRIP Peer Reviews; independent reviews of the progress being made in the partner cities towards sustainable urban transports provided constructive criticism on cities current progress towards sustainable urban transports identified key issues to consider and made recommendations for actions in order to help the cities to accelerate their progress towards sustainable urban transports; kick-started the preparation and implementation of Sustainable Urban Transport Plan (SUTP) in partner cities.

The BUSTRIP Benchmark; Is adapted from the Final Report of the EU Expert Working Group (2004) on Sustainable Urban Transport. Describes the characteristics that should be evident within SUTP. Is an ideal that the cities are moving towards and can compare their performance with.

BUSTRIP Peer Review framework The Peer Review team The reviewed city Team set up and training Self assessment report Desk review – hypothesis and preparing interviews Peer Review – interviews, analysis and presenting initial findings Writing of Peer Review report Arrangements of review Approval of report Bridging the gaps and moving towards sustainable transports Jan 06 Nov 06

How we use the Peer Review findings and outputs? Partner cities use their self-assessment report and peer review reports in designing their Sustainable Urban Transport Plans and actions. Partners use the reports to accelerate progress towards sustainable urban transports Partners use the reports to verify their SUTP pilot actions Some partners use the reports for internal training and capacity building

Reflections after BUSTRIP Peer Reviews; Preparing a self assessment report can kick- start and support more effective and useful inter- departmental and inter-sectoral working and it helps to identify inconsistencies in existing plans Peer Review is a powerful tool for revealing the strengths and weaknesses in a city – both in process of making the plans and in the practical actions that are put in place Critical Peer Review reports are appreciated by the cities Peers give new views on old problems

Reflections after BUSTRIP Peer Reviews; Peer Review is good way of exchanging experiences between municipalities and a good way of doing international city cooperation Effective way to get broad and deep picture of the city Acting as a peer gives you better understanding of your own city’s performance You get out of a Peer Review what you and others put in

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