A GIS-Based Approach for Spatially-Explicit Sustainable Development Assessments in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran

Parviz Mohamadzadeh, Samereh Pourmoradian, Bakhtiar Feizizadeh, Ayyoob Sharifi and Mathias Vogdrup-Schmidt
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Parviz Mohamadzadeh: Department of Economic Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 51368, Iran
Samereh Pourmoradian: Department of Management, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 51368, Iran
Bakhtiar Feizizadeh: Department of Remote Sensing and GIS, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 51368, Iran
Ayyoob Sharifi: Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS) at Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshimashi 739-8530, Japan
Mathias Vogdrup-Schmidt: Ordrup, 1058 Copenhagen, Denmark

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-16

Abstract: We propose an efficient integrated approach of spatial decision-making systems and geographical information science for spatially explicit sustainable development mapping. The approach was developed, and its efficiency examined for sustainability assessment in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. To achieve this goal, sustainable development indicators were employed through GIS decision rule and spatial analysis. Accordingly, 13 main criteria and 44 sub-criteria were identified and prepared as GIS dataset. The fuzzy analytical network process (FANP) method was employed to derive the criteria weights and their significance. We also applied the Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) for minimizing the uncertainties associated with the FANP weights. The Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) method was applied to aggregate the indicators and develop the sustainable development maps. Results confirmed that integrated GIS-based decision rules can be applied for any sustainable development mapping efficiently. Results of this research present an approach for sustainable development assessment and can be applied for similar research effectually. In the case of East Azerbaijan Province, the detailed results represent the unbalanced sustainable development within the different counties of this province. This requires taking necessary actions to ensure more balanced and just economic development in the province. The degree of sustainable development shows a significant spatial correlation with the industrial activities, employment, demography, poverty and infrastructure properties. The obtained results are of great importance for decision makers to identify efficient approaches in light of sustainable development mapping.

Keywords: integrated approach; sustainable development assessment; multicriteria decision analysis; sensitivity analysis; sustainability mapping (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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