EFskalan

EFskalan is a multi-criteria rating framework used to evaluate policy proposals, programs, or technologies in environmental planning and public policy. The term combines the acronym EF with the Swedish word skalan, meaning the scale. It emerged in Nordic policy analysis literature in the mid-2010s and has since been adopted by regional planning bodies in several countries.

The framework seeks to provide a standardized, transparent method to compare proposals by summarizing evidence into a concise score. EFskalan typically uses a five-point scale for each criterion, ranging from 0 (no evidence or negligible impact) to 4 (strong evidence or substantial impact). Four criteria are commonly assessed: Effectiveness, Feasibility, Sustainability, and Acceptability. The overall EFskalan score is usually the average of the four criteria, with optional weighting to reflect local priorities.

Application process: Define goals, gather evidence, rate each criterion, conduct a panel review, and publish scores and rationale. The framework is designed to be adaptable to local contexts and to improve comparability across proposals.

Development and reception: Introduced in academic research circa 2015–2017, EFskalan has been adopted by regional planning agencies in the late 2010s. Supporters praise transparency and comparability, while critics point to subjectivity, data gaps, and a risk of oversimplification.

Limitations and relation to other tools: EFskalan does not replace formal cost-benefit analysis or risk assessment; it complements MCDA, environmental impact assessment, and policy evaluation. Calibration guidelines and training are often recommended to reduce scoring variance.

See also: Multi-criteria decision analysis, Environmental impact assessment, Policy analysis.