Lucia Rocchi

Decision Support Systems for environmental management: A case study on wastewater from agriculture

Dealing with spatial decision problems means combining and transforming geographical data (input) into a resultant decision (output), interfacing a Geographical Information System (GIS) with Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methods. The conventional MCDA approach assumes the spatial homogeneity of alternatives within the case study area, although it is often unrealistic. On the other side, GIS provides excellent data acquisition, storage, manipulation and analysis capabilities, but in the case of a value structure analysis this capability is lower. For these reasons, several studies in the last twenty years have given attention to MCDA-GIS integration and to the development of Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSS). Hitherto, most of these applications are based only on a formal integration between the two approaches. In this paper, we propose a complete MCDA-GIS integration with a plurality of MCDA methodologies, grouped in a suite. More precisely, we considered an open-source GIS (GRASS GIS 6.4) and a modular package including five MCDA modules based on five different methodologies. The methods included are: ELECTRE I, Fuzzy set, REGIME analysis, Analytic Hierarchy Process and Dominance-based Rough Set Approach. Thanks to the modular nature of the package, it is possible to add new methods without modifying the existing structure. To present the suite, we applied each module to the same case study, making comparisons. The strong points of the MCDA-GIS integration we developed are its open-source setting and the user friendly interface, both thanks to GRASS GIS, and the use of raster data. Moreover, our suite is a genuine case of perfect integration, where the spatial nature of criteria is always present.

Assessing Rural Sustainable Development potentialities using a Dominance-based Rough Set Approach.

Rural Development is a priority in Europe and it is supported by specific, financial programmes. At the same time, sustainability is the key word for the European Union to construct programmes and policies for all human activities. However, measuring sustainability of rural areas is not easy, due to their particular features. The improvement of knowledge on sustainability in rural areas is important to build long term policies and strategies for those territories. The objective of this study is the development of a decision support system based on the Dominance-based Rough Set Approach (DRSA), to assess the level of Rural Sustainable Development in specific areas. We used DRSA to analyze the level of sustainability of the 92 municipalities of the Region of Umbria, Italy. The results were synthesized in a final ranking, taking into account the equilibrium and the integration between development and sustainability of each municipality. DRSA showed a high potential in the context of management or planning, and for supporting Decision Makers. DRSA is able to give a ranking as well as an explanation of the main factors driving sustainable development in rural areas.

Using stochastic multi-criteria acceptability analysis methods in SEA: an application to the Park of Trasimeno (Italy)

Strategic Environmental Assessment is an important tool, one that has been compulsory in the European Union since 2004. The procedure enables the inclusion of the environment in the planning phase to avoid environmental problems in the future. The individuation and valuation of reasonable alternatives is one of the most important aspects introduced by the Directive. Multi-criteria Decision Analysis can be a tool for choosing the best reasonable alternative. In this study, we test the use of Stochastic Multi-criteria Acceptability Analysis, which is a new family of multi-criteria methods. In particular, we use the SMAA-2 method, which allows the use of cardinal data and does not require information on Decision Makers’ preferences. In this application, SMAA-2 enables a solution for a Management Plan of Trasimeno Park in a very sensitive political and social context.

The Sustainable Development of Trasimeno Lake

Lake Trasimeno, Perugia, is the largest lake in peninsular Italy, with surface characteristics of 128 km2, the fourth among Italian lakes after Lake Como. This extension is accompanied by a shallow (average 4.3 m, maximum 6 m), so that the lake of Trasimeno is one of the laminar. The Trasimeno Lake is a natural lake with shallow water and flat, bordered by fine beaches. Its basin covers an area of natural feeding of 306 km2, of which 124 km2 occupied by the surface of the lake, its overall average volume of about 586 Mm3. The area was inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the findings that are now preserved in the National Archaeological Museum. In 217 bc on the shores of the lake took place the battle of Lake Trasimeno, which saw the Carthaginian Hannibal forces defeated the Roman legions of the Consul Gaius Flaminius. Recently, Lake Trasimeno is entered into a new water crisis, perhaps greater than that of the 1950s: the current maximum depth is 4.30 m, but between 2007 and 2008 it fell by 78 cm. Since 2006, the Trasimeno is part of the international Living Lakes, a worldwide network of 52 lakes UN awards for its commitment to sustainable development of the main lakes, wetlands, and other freshwater basins of the world. Within the project called “environmental manifesto” was awarded a quality mark to guarantee and protection of tourists and residents by the companies for compliance with standards and management systems that ensure quality services environment. An interesting example of sustainable development is to build a shed for the “photographic safari drive by ambush.” Within the environmental certification projects involving accommodation and government, Local Agenda 21 stands out, a process that promotes sustainable development in its most qualified. From the point of view of the appeal of tourist flows in the lake area for a long time now, it has developed particularly oriented models of respectful accommodation of natural features of the area offering a kind of holiday activities ranging from cross-cultural tourism to the environment. The management of the water level of Lake Trasimeno is very delicate and very risky because in some years it has reached the minimum acceptable level of aquatic flora and fauna. In Polvese Island, the largest extension of a structure of the Provincial Administration Journal dating back to 1,100, school visits, seminars, and conferences to promote the sustainable development strategy can be done. The site throughout the project to equip a small fleet of seagoing service of lake boats that only go with rechargeable batteries from the local systems of solar energy. In order to enable adequate monitoring and efficiently the Provincial Administration since 1985 with a modern system batch of data collection and analysis are the basis of current management and the strategic importance of the lake. It’s the complexity of the case and articulated, albeit in a dynamic equilibrium, management increasingly inspired by the principles of sustainability, making it a case study of relevant interest that we hope think may enjoy experts and ordinary citizens who have care about the future of the entire world in its entirety, essential diversity.

A model for measuring the environmental sustainability of events

Like all human activities, events can generate significant pressures on environmental resources, unless they are well-managed and monitored. Therefore, it is becoming more and more important to develop models that can measure their environmental sustainability. Although increasing attention is being paid to this sector, there is currently no standard protocol or method to assess the eco-sustainability of events. This article presents an innovative assessment procedure to measure the environmental sustainability of events. It is based on several indicators, combined by means of a multi-criteria approach and aggregated into a final index, which we called METER (Measuring Events Through Environmental Research). The METER index uses nine major operational categories, divided in sub-categories and detailed items, which cover all the main aspects concerning environmental sustainability of an event and are evaluated for all its phases, i.e. planning, organisation, implementation, post event. The index is fairly analytical, and is thus able to represent the numerous aspects to be taken into consideration in the environmental assessment of an event. At the same time, it is simple to apply and user-friendly, thanks to its graphics and effective communication of the web platform within it is implemented. Moreover, METER is based on a participatory approach using the bottom-up model and on the principle of subsidiarity. All official international documents regarding sustainable development now require subsidiarity. However, it is not being currently applied as part of any certification or with any evaluation tool. Therefore, although the index is still a prototype, it represents an innovation in the field of environmental management. A simple exemplary case is presented, about a European Spring School held at University of Perugia (Italy) in 2014, in which the application of METER showed a sustainability assessment score of 638 points out of 1000, with an excellent management of waste, catering, internal travel and participation aspects.

TERRITORIAL MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS: A MODEL FOR A GLOBAL MANAGEMENT OF THE TERRITORY

Bottom-up solutions for managing the territory have been increase their importance in the last years. Local communities want to be involved in the management of the territory to avoid problems and to promote economic and social activities. Several different forms of participatory contracts have been developed during the last decades. However, a framework to enforce each single solution are required. The Territorial Management Contracts (TMCs) would like to give a contribute in such a direction. The contribute briefly illustrates the Territorial Management Contracts, to open a debate on them. Keywords: bottom-up approach, contract, inner development, territory, Territorial Management Contracts. Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2015.068

DISSESTO SUPERFICIALE E GESTIONE AGRICOLA DEL SUOLO: UN’APPLICAZIONE DEI ROUGH SETS BASATI SULLA DOMINANZA

La difesa del territorio dai fenomeni di dissesto idrogeologico e un tema molto sentito e attuale sia a livello nazionale che internazionale. Ogni anno tali fenomeni provocano a livello mondiale enormi danni non solo ambientali ma anche sociali ed economici. L’attivita antropica, soprattutto in relazione alla modifica dell’uso del suolo e all’intensificazione dell’agricoltura, e fra i principali fattori che incidono sulla stabilita dei suoli. Per una gestione adeguata del territorio in termini di prevenzione e controllo del dissesto idrogeologico, e fondamentale l’uso di strumenti in grado di conciliare il supporto al decisore pubblico con l’analisi territoriale. Lo scopo del presente lavoro e quello di illustrare l’utilizzo dell’integrazione tra Geographic Information Systems (GIS) e analisi multicriteri (MCDA) per un caso di dissesto superficiale relativo al bacino del Menotre in Umbria, proponendo in particolare il Dominance based Rough Set Approach, sviluppato in GRASS GIS 6. Parole chiave: dissesto idrogeologico, DRSA, integrazione MCDA-GIS