Multi-Criteria Decision Modeling for Environmental Assessment. An Estimation of Total Economic Value in Protected Natural Areas

Hernández, A.; Caballero, R.; León, M.A.; Casas, M.; Pérez, V.E.; Silva, C.L.

doi:10.22059/ijer.2014.749

Multi-Criteria Decision Modeling for Environmental Assessment. An Estimation of Total Economic Value in Protected Natural Areas

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

A. Hernández ¹

R. Caballero ²

M.A. León ¹

M. Casas ³

V.E. Pérez ¹

C.L. Silva ³

¹ Department of Mathematics, University of Pinar del Río, Calle Martí Final, # 270, Esq a 27 de Noviembre, Pinar del Río, Cuba

² Department of Applied Economics (Mathematics), University of Málaga, Campus El Ejido, s/n. 29071, Málaga, Spain

³ Post Graduate Program in Technology, Federal Technological University of Paraná, Av. Sete do Setembro, 3165, 80230-901, Curitiba, Brasil

10.22059/ijer.2014.749

Abstract

The conceptualization of Total Economic Value (TEV) associated with protected natural areas
necessarily requires an analytical reordering that ensures a simultaneous incorporation of natural, social and
economic components. Based on this purpose, the present paper uses a multi-criteria decision modeling for
the economic valuation of environmental goods and services (EGS) in the Viñales National Park (PNV) based
on a combination of methods such as the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Goal Programming (GP)
with other traditional such as the income updating method. The proposed procedure allowed estimate an
indicator of Total Economic Value (TEV) and its different components: Direct Use Value (DUV), Indirect Use
Value (IUV), Option Value (OV), Existence Value (EV) and Bequest Value (BV). The obtained results represent a contribution from economic science to the definition of environmental policies, allocation and distribution of financial resources, as well as the design and implementation of management plans or other strategic projections.

Keywords

Multi-criteria decision modeling

Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Goal Programming (GP)

Total Economic Value (TEV)

Environmental Goods and Services (EGS)