A GIS-based multi-criteria decision-making approach for establishing a regional-scale groundwater monitoring

A weighted multi-criteria decision-making framework was designed to identify and prioritize areas for monitoring aquifer hydraulic heads within the Victoria County Groundwater Conservation District. The criteria address salient hydrogeological aspects including groundwater variability, recharge, surface water–groundwater interactions, and groundwater fluxes across district boundaries. Texas water statutes require groundwater conservation districts to quantify these factors and utilize them to manage aquifers. A stakeholder survey instrument was used to prioritize these criteria. A monitoring priority index (MPI), whose value theoretically ranges between 0 and 1 was computed as a weighted average of six mutually exclusive criteria. The MPI value was seen to range between 0.2 and 0.6 within the study area. Lower values of MPI indicate areas where the current level of monitoring is adequate and areas with a higher MPI point to locations where additional monitoring is necessary. In particular, monitoring along district boundaries, particularly along the western and southern sections, is recommended. The developed methodology was seen to provide a transparent and simple-to-use approach to identify and prioritize areas within the district for the purposes of groundwater monitoring. The proposed framework demonstrates the utility of GIS in facilitating a scientifically credible and stakeholder-driven approach for establishing groundwater monitoring networks and can be adapted in other similar applications.     

A multi-criteria decision-making approach for evaluating carbon performance of suppliers in the electronics industry

Although interest in addressing environmental perspectives in supplier management is rising, incorporating the issue of carbon management into supplier selection in green supply chain is still considerably scarce. This study presents a model for evaluating carbon performance of suppliers by utilizing multiple-criteria decision-making. Through literature reviews and expert opinions, 13 criteria within carbon performance are identified for evaluating suppliers. Subsequently, the analytic network process is utilized to determine the relative weights of each criterion. Finally, the VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje technique is employed to evaluate carbon performance of suppliers and compromise solution under each of the evaluation criteria. An illustrative example in an electronics company is presented to demonstrate how to select the most appropriate supplier in accordance with carbon management. To be effective in mitigating carbon risk across the supply chain, the proposed hybrid model can help firms evaluate carbon performance of suppliers for facilitating low carbon supply chain.     

Measuring the accessibility of critical facilities in the presence of hurricane-related roadway closures and an approach for predicting future roadway disruptions

Natural Hazards - Roadway closures magnify the adverse effects of disasters on people since any type of such disruption increases the emergency response travel time (ERTT), which is of central...     

A geo-ontology-based approach to decision-making in emergency management of meteorological disasters

Ontology as a kind of method for knowledge representation is able to provide semantic integration for decision support in emergency management activities of meteorological disasters. We examine a meteorological disaster system as composed of four components: disastrous meteorological events, hazard-inducing environments, hazard-bearing bodies, and emergency management. The geospatial characteristics of these components can be represented with geographical ontology (geo-ontology). In this paper, we propose an ontology representation of domain knowledge of a meteorological disaster system descending from an adapted geospatial foundation ontology, designed to formally conceptualize the domain terms and establish relationships between those concepts. The class hierarchy and relationships of the proposed ontology are implemented finally at top level, domain level/task level, and application level. The potential application of the ontology is illustrated with a case study of prediction of secondary disasters and evacuation decision of a typhoon event. The multi-level ontology model can provide semantic support for before-, during-, after-event emergency management activities such as risk assessment, resource preparedness, and emergency response where the formed concepts and their relationships can be incorporated into reasoning sentences of these decision processes. Furthermore, the ontology model is realized with a universally used intermediate language OWL, which enables it to be used in popular environments. This work will underlie the semantic integration among human beings, between heterogeneous systems and between human beings and systems, enable spatial semantic reasoning, and will be useful in guiding advanced decision support in emergency management of meteorological disasters.     

Environmental performance evaluation of suppliers: A hybrid fuzzy multi-criteria decision approach

Increasing environmental problems enforce companies to be more environmental responsible. A company’s environmental performance is not only related to the company’s inner environmental efforts, but also it is affected by the suppliers’ environmental performance and image. As a stakeholder of the company, a supplier with bad environmental image affects badly the company’s environmental image. Also, raw materials and semi-finished products supplied from out of the company recourses- suppliers- affects the products environmental features such as life cycle, re-usability, re-manufacturability, hazardous substances, etc. Considering these direct and indirect effects, managers should also consider environmental performances of their suppliers in their supplier evaluation process. In this paper, a methodology for the evaluation of suppliers’ environmental performances is proposed. In this methodology, a hybrid Fuzzy-Analytic Network Process and Fuzzy-Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment Evaluations approach is utilized. Additionally, a numerical example is given to foster the better understanding of the methodology and the obtained results are analyzed with sensitivity analyses.     

Retailing in rural areas: A case study in Norfolk

In Britain the decline of facilities in rural settlements in the face of increasing urban dependence is becoming a major policy issue; despite high mobility, many people still lack access to essential facilities. This paper is based on fieldwork carried out mostly during 1976 in two rural areas of Norfolk, as part of a Government-sponsored study of rural transport and accessibility. It looks first at the pattern of shops and their location related to parish size, and then discusses levels of use in comparison with urban facilities, drawing on household activity surveys. The paper then analyses in depth the ownership and operation of village shops, using the results of a survey carried out among the proprietors of the shops in the two study areas, and also considers the issues that concern shopkeepers and villagers. Finally it notes changes over the past two years in the pattern of facilities and discusses the case of two villages. The implications for rural planning are examined, and the author concludes that development of rural settlements must be based on sensitive and local understanding, rather than directive blanket policies, if reasonable access to shops and similar facilities is to be retained.     

Development of a generic concept to analyze the accessibility of emergency facilities in critical road infrastructure for disaster scenarios: exemplary application for the 2017 wildfires in Chile and Portugal

Natural Hazards - Natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, or wildfires pose a serious threat to road infrastructure. Especially in emergency situations, the society depends on the road...     

Class distribution and locality in rural areas: an example from Gloucestershire

The analysis of rural social change has reached a point of somewhat saturated orthodoxy. Numerous studies over the last 20 years have served to reinforce a standard view that it is the ‘newcomer vs local’ conflict which lies at the heart of social and cultural changes in rural communities. Moreover, these broad categorisations have often been translated into class terms without due regard for the detailed circumstances of locality or intra-class fractions. This paper presents some evidence from an intensive study of 10 parishes in rural Gloucestershire, and seeks to provide a detailed background to the distribution of selected indicators of social change in that area. It focuses on the diversions and needs experienced by different social groups and suggests additional complexities to those recognised in traditional treatments of rural conflict.     

Impact assessment due to rural electrification in hill tract of Bangladesh for sustainable development

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) of any project is essential for understanding the sustainability of the project. For sustainable development of hill tracts, electricity is inseparable. Like other parts of Bangladesh hill tracts districts felt increasing demand of electricity. In this paper an attempt has been taken to present the existing environmental condition and analysis the future environmental condition after implementation of project. Electrification will extend the length of the active day. Electrification will improve security (people’s perception of safety and security) at the region. The elements of the project identified as components for analysis are chosen based on DOE’s guideline. The study showed that 87% people say that they feel safer at night since being electrified. Impacts are classified on the basis of EPA’s scaling and DOE, university’s teachers, NGOs expert’s opinions. Value more than 10 is classified significantly affected element of the project. In this paper advantages and disadvantages of the Electrification Project has been presented.     

Analyzing spatial disparities in access to health care: A methodology with application in Bangladesh

This paper develops a methodology for analyzing spatial disparities in access to health care in situations where the data base is limited, and applies it in the context of Bangladesh. The proposed indirect measures of inpatient and outpatient service utilization, and of quality of available services, seem to provide reasonably accurate, consistent, and interpretable results; these indices are combined into a composite index of relative access to health care. The form of the composite index and its components permits the incorporation of Sopher's disparity index into the methodology for measuring urban-rural disparities in relative access to health care. The empirical analysis based on subdivision level data revealed that Bangladesh's health care delivery system is, in general, characterized by extremely low level of access and a high degree of disparity in favor of urban areas, especially in terms of inpatient services. Spatial patterns of relative access and urban/rural disparity were perused through cartographic and statistical analyses; although clear-cut regional patterns did not emerge, the considerable spatial variations could be explained largely with reference to urbanization and density of population. Assuming improved level of access and minimal urban/rural disparity as basic policy goals a method to prioritize spatial units for future allocation of health sector resources is recommended.The author gratefully acknowledges the helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper by Dr. S. M. Bhardwaj, Professor of Geography, Kent State University.     

A generalized probabilistic approach for slope analysis: practical application to an open pit iron ore mine

Summary An example of the generalized probabilistic approach to slope analysis is given through a case study on an iron ore mine. A step by step engineering procedure is described, so that a practical application can be made to other structures under different field conditions.     

Putting accessibility in place: A relational reading of accessibility in policies for transit-oriented development

In order to facilitate sustainable development, a shift from mobility-based to accessibility-based planning has been suggested. However, if we rely on the modern conceptualisation of accessibility, such a shift would have limited results. As an alternative, this paper proposes a relational reading of accessibility, which questions the divide between mobility and place upon which the modern definition is based. It argues that the accessibility of a place is characterised by a specific coordination of presences and absences that depends as much on boundaries and exclusions as on mobility. If accessibility changes, so does the place. This interpretation makes accessibility a matter of priorities and provides a critical perspective on arguments for time–space compressions and progress. This is illustrated here using the example of a regional strategy for transit-oriented development in Sweden (Region Scania). For that case, the discourse on accessibility revealed simplified arguments for densification, progress and metropolitan ideals, contradicting the initial inclusive intentions of the strategy. Thus, there is a need to put accessibility in place so that a shift to accessibility-based planning facilitates a move towards social and environmental sustainability.     

Partnership approach to disaster management in Bangladesh: a critical policy assessment

The geographic location of Bangladesh at the confluence of the three mighty river systems of the world renders her one of the most vulnerable places to natural disasters. Human-induced climate change exacerbates the problem. This study shows that the Government of Bangladesh has already established a multi-layered institutional mechanism for disaster management, with formal recognition of the role of various stakeholders. Historically, NGOs and other informal support mechanisms in the country also have made significant contributions during and after disaster recovery. Despite the presence of some strengths, such as long experience in disaster response and recovery, the people’s resilience, and donor support, the current management strategies suffer from a host of policy and institutional weaknesses. Most prominent is the absence of a functioning partnership among the stakeholders within these formal set-ups. What is lacking is the development and embodiment of a culture of collective decision-making in planning, in resource sharing, and in implementing disaster management policies and programs in an integrated and transparent way. The paper suggests a partnership framework to implement prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of disaster management.     

A LabVIEW-based fire monitoring software using multi-criteria AHP approach for detecting geolocation of wildfire

Natural Hazards - High Conservation Value Forests or botanical parks are critical forested areas that need to be appropriately managed and protected against fire, as they contain large...     

GIS-based multicriteria analysis: an approach to select priority areas for preservation in the Ahaggar National Park,Algeria

This paper presents a geographic information system (GIS)-based multicriteria decision-making approach for biodiversity preservation of the Ahaggar National Park in Algeria. This tool named spatial decision-making aid (SDMA) enables decision makers to evaluate the relative priorities of conserving the biodiversity in protected areas basing on a set of preferences, criteria and indicators of the area. In this study, we have developed conceptual and methodological solutions to integrate outranking methods (such as elimination and choice to translate reality TRI, preference ranking organizational methods and analytical hierarchy process) of multicriteria analysis in the GIS software to enhance its potential as tools of spatial decision support in land management problems. We integrated the results and other data relevant studied area in a GIS as a starting point for our SDMA prototype for resources management. Through the application, we have designed functionalities that allow producing maps of areas which needed urgent preservation. These methods are more appropriate to decision-making problems and their integration into GIS software (ArcView GIS 3.2 software from Environmental Systems Research Institute) that constitutes a powerful tool of spatial decision-making aid.     

Correction to: Nexus between vulnerability and adaptive capacity of drought-prone rural households in northern Bangladesh

Natural Hazards - The article was published with a spelling error in one of the co-author names. The correct spelling is reflected in this correction, and the original work has been updated to...     

Determinants of migration decision-making for rural households: a case study in Chongqing,China

Migration is a global strategy for promoting economic growth and sustainable urbanization, specifically in developing countries. It is critical for governments to understand the determinants of migration decision for rural households so that proper migration measures can be taken. Different from previous studies that mainly focus on migration determinants without considering migration patterns, this paper divides migration patterns into three types—no migration, labor migration, and family migration, and examines the determinants for “no migration–migration” and “labor migration–family migration,” respectively. The binary logistic model is adopted to analyze the impacts of various migration factors in Chongqing city. Results show that: (1) per capita non-agricultural income plays the most significant positive role in driving “no migration–migration.” This is followed by the number of household labor force, whereas road accessibility is the key factor for inhibiting migration. (2) The key contributory factor for “labor migration–family migration” is per capita non-agricultural income. This is followed by the residential distance from towns, whereas the number of household labor force and the average age of labor force are restraining factors. The research results can effectively provide scientific reference for local governments to advance the transfer of the surplus rural labor force to promote sustainable urbanization.