A Review on Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods in Environmental Studies

Decision-making, includes the correct statement of purposes, determination of different and possible solutions, assessment of their possibility, evaluation of the consequences of implementing each solution, and finally, selection and implementation. Quality of management, is essentially dependent to the quality of decision-making. In most cases, decision-making is desirable and satisfactory for decision maker, when decision making is studied according to several criteria. Criteria may be quantitative or qualitative. In multi criteria decision making methods, which are taken into consideration in recent decades, several criteria are used instead of one, to measure optimality. Decision-making, is difficult and complicated in environmental projects; the necessity for balance existence between socio-economic, environmental, ecological and economic factors in these project, makes it more difficult to manage and make decision in this area. In multi-criteria decision-making models (MCDM), multiplicity of criteria, the complexity of the data and environmental dynamism are among the factors which convert decision-making, into a challenge in recent decades.

This research was a review study using library resources and related sites, along with introduction of decision making process and terms. Discussion and

Multi-criteria decision-making methods used in environmental projects have been explained. The conceptual model of compensatory methods was presented along with their application.

Finally, a summary of environmental projects that can be covered by decision-making models and used models in each project, was presented.