How to Prioritize the Attributes of Water Ecosystem Service for Water Security Management: Choice Experiments versus Analytic Hierarchy Process

Erick Arellanos (), Wagner Guzman and Ligia García
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Erick Arellanos: Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Calle Higos Urco N° 342, Chachapoyas 01001, Peru
Wagner Guzman: Superintendencia Nacional de Servicios de Saneamiento del Perú, Av. Bernardo Monteagudo 210–216, Magdalena del Mar, Lima 15076, Peru
Ligia García: Instituto de Investigación para el Desarrollo Sustentable de Ceja de Selva, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Calle Higos Urco N° 342, Chachapoyas 01001, Peru

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 23, 1-19

Abstract: The various ecosystem services related to water form a complex structure that impacts on human well-being so it is necessary to know the relationships between their attributes to support decision making for water security. Our work investigates individual preferences for water ecosystem service attributes in the Tilacancha River Microbasin, in northern Peru, using two methods of a different nature. In that context, prioritization results using Choice Experiments and Analytic Hierarchy Process are compared for their abilities to represent purchase preferences and theoretical preferences, respectively. Both methods reveal that in a context of abundant water resources, the public has a higher preference for the attributes Quality Maintenance and Water Regulation, over Sediment Control and Water Yield, which were less valued. The differences allowed us to identify possible applications of the results useful for water security management. Additionally, we conclude that it is possible to combine the results of both methods to support decision making, and we highlight the specific cases in which it is appropriate to use the methods individually.

Keywords: water ecosystem service; attributes; choice experiments; analytic hierarchy process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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