A comparative analysis of the level of sustainable development in Polish voivodeships in 2012 and 2021

Abstract

Sustainable development is an example of a complex phenomenon, which is why it is particularly difficult to compare the level and evaluate the progress made by regions in Poland in implementing its assumptions. This article aims at conducting a multi-dimensional evaluation of changes in the level of sustainable development in Polish voivodeships in 2012 and 2021. The analysis covered three dimensions of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental, which were determined by a total of 30 indicators. The research methodology applied was one of the linear ordering methods – a non-model method with normalisation based on zero unitisation, whereas the research itself was conducted from a dynamic perspective. The research results indicate gradual progress in particular regions of Poland (albeit to varying degrees) in implementing the concept of sustainable development in the years under study. The application of the synthetic indicator to evaluate the activities makes it possible to evaluate the results achieved in these voivodeships and take any possible corrective measures. They are also a valuable source of information on development disproportions between voivodeships, which might result in determining potential directions for future activities in the field of sustainable development.