Evaluation of Green Deal compliance performance with a hybrid comparative multi-attribute decision model

Abstract

The environmental and economic transformation initiated by the European Green Deal is influencing not only EU member states, but also other countries engaged in trade with the EU. This transformation mandates a shift towards sustainable practices in sectors such as agriculture, industry, transportation, energy, and finance. Compliance with the Green Deal is increasingly crucial for countries, particularly those with significant commercial ties to the EU. However, differing levels of development lead to varying degrees of implementation. While studies on the Green Deal compliance of EU member states exist, an evaluation of Türkiye—a candidate EU member with substantial trade relations—would address a significant gap in the literature. This study introduces a novel hybrid comparative multi-attribute decision model that combines subjective (Best Worst Method and its derivatives) and objective (Entropy) weighting to determine the relative importance of 14 sub-criteria under three main criteria: “Reducing” the impacts of climate change, “Protecting” the planet and health, and “Enabling” a green and just transition. Using the Ratio Product Model (RPM), Türkiye's Green Deal compliance from 2017 to 2021 was evaluated. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to validate the robustness of the findings, and comparisons were made using various multi-attribute decision models, including SAW, TOPSIS, and VIKOR, as well as benchmarking against EU countries. The criteria weights, derived from a combination of subjective and objective methods, highlighted the dominant importance of the “Reducing” criterion across all methods. The “Enabling” and “Protecting” criteria showed slight variations in importance depending on the method. The RPM results indicated that 2021 was Türkiye's best-performing year in terms of Green Deal compliance, while 2017 showed the weakest performance. Despite some fluctuations between 2018 and 2019, Türkiye demonstrated significant progress overall. The study not only advances the methodology for evaluating Green Deal compliance but also provides actionable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders, enabling more informed decision-making. By highlighting Türkiye's trajectory, the findings offer strategic guidance for non-EU countries aiming to align with Green Deal objectives, fostering sustainable development and strengthening economic ties with the EU.