The paper discusses decision-making methods for the comparative assessment of alternatives in environmental impact assessment. The suggested framework for a systematic approach to the comparative assessment of alternatives in decision-making management involves multi-criteria utility theory; analytical hierarchy approach; multi-criteria alternatives ranking; and choice under uncertainty. The proposed decision-making methods mainly concern comparing alternatives and selecting the best one. Considerably often, criteria for evaluating alternatives are contradictory or use different methods and rating scales, which is the main problem for solving multi-criteria problems. The article also considers the steps for generation and analysis of alternatives and suggests the alternatives analysis procedure.
The author’s experience proves that experts sometimes fail to provide a preferred alternative that would meet all conditions of multi-criteria analysis; therefore, it is necessary to return to the previous stage of the environmental impact assessment process, i.e. reducing negative impacts. All this brings out the need to develop a new scientific basis, to generate a new set of alternative environmental protection proposals, and to carry out the procedure for selecting the preferred alternative from the outset. After the preferred alternative, in compliance with all environmental protection needs, is selected, and the agreement on the best alternative is reached, experts can undertake a comprehensive environmental impact assessing.
The author suggests methods for the comparative assessment of the preferred alternative in environmental impact assessment, each having its merits and demerits and critically examines them in the article. The suggested procedure provides experts’ with decision-making methods of the comparative assessing alternatives in environmental impact assessment.
Stakeholders in the EIA Process: What is Important for them? The Case of Road Construction
