Title: An interactive decision support system for implementing sustainable relocation strategies for adaptation to climate change: a multi-objective optimisation approach

Authors: Sajjad Zahir, Ruhul Sarker, Ziaul Al-Mahmud

Addresses: Decision Sciences and Information Systems, Faculty of Management, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada. ' School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy, Northcott Drive, Canberra 2600, Australia. ' Lethbridge Community Network, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 4C9, Canada

Abstract: Global warming may cause low-lying areas to be inundated because of frequent flooding and rising sea levels. It may further intensify dehydration of semi-arid zones. Such environmental impacts may require planned relocation of a section of population and force others to adapt to these evolving situations. In this article, we discuss a multi-objective optimisation approach for deciding what fraction of a population will be relocated to another location and what fraction of it may be retained for effective adaptation to climate change. We consider various costs, people|s preferences and priorities of planning objectives in a goal programming model and illustrate the concept with the design of a decision support system for interactive analysis of complex multifaceted environmental decisions.

Keywords: adaptation; AHP; analytic hierarchy process; climate change; interactive DSS; decision support systems; goal programming; interface; multi-objective optimisation; planned relocation; sustainable relocation; relocation strategies; global warming; population relocation; environmental decisions; environmental impact.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMOR.2009.024289

International Journal of Mathematics in Operational Research, 2009 Vol.1 No.3, pp.326 - 350

Published online: 31 Mar 2009 *

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