Title: Neural network model for identification of societal preference of environmental issues

Authors: Shirish Sangle, P. Ram Babu

Addresses: Corporate Environmental Management, National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Vihar Lake, Powai, 400087 Mumbai, India. ' Sustainable Business Solutions, PricewaterhouseCoopers P Ltd., Kamla Mills, Trade World, C-Wing, 9th Floor, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, 400 013 Mumbai, India

Abstract: A new method for identification of preferences of environmental issues using the societal approach is suggested. The preferences assigned by different economic groups to 11 environmental issues are obtained through analysis of linguistically stated relative rankings using fuzzy partial ordering method. The system identification technique based on neural networks is used to identify a logical connective in the stated relative rankings and this obviates the inconsistency problem normally encountered in the analysis of relative preference statements. The transitive property of the matrix of relative preferences is used to minimise the number of responses to be elicited from a respondent.

Keywords: relative ranking; societal preferences; environmental issues; fuzzy partial ordering; neural networks; environmental pollution; India.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2006.011215

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2006 Vol.28 No.3/4, pp.326 - 351

Published online: 06 Nov 2006 *

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