An Analytic Network Process (ANP)-Based Approach for Investigating Alternative Planning Scenarios of Mining Activities in Piedmont Region

Abstract

The paper aims to explore a set of future scenarios in the context of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the adoption of the Regional Plan for Mining Activities in Piedmont region (Italy). The study investigates the use of a Multicriteria Decision Analysis technique (MCDA), namely the Analytic Network Process (ANP), with the aim to support the definition of the best sustainable scenario. The ANP model evaluates a protocol of objectives and strategies in order to explore their complex relations and to guide the evaluation of alternative planning scenarios. The paper shows how the ANP model may be considered a suitable support to aid the decision-making process in better understanding the full range of impacts generated by mining activities on the territory, thus supporting the creation of integrated and sustainable planning policies at regional scale.

Evaluation of Ecosystem Services in Mining Basins: An Application in the Piedmont Region (Italy)

“…The ESA has great potential within integrated evaluation frameworks to assess multiple impacts on the environment caused by urban and territorial transformations. For example, the integration between the ESA, System Dynamics Modelling, Multicriteria Decision Analysis, and the Driving forces, Pressure, State, Impact, and Response (DPSIR) model can effectively help DM in all the phases of the SEA evaluation process [2,37,[62][63][64]. In this perspective, a promising development could be the integration of the ESA with the SIA, providing a multi-disciplinary understanding of social, economic, and environmental impacts, as well as their interactions and aggregations [20].…”

“…In the context of the SEA scoping phase of the PRAE Plan, three potential planning scenarios have been identified [2]: (i) the first scenario does not provide any Regional Plan on mining activities and limits to incorporate the new provisions within the regulation in force; (ii) the second scenario focuses particularly on the environmental and landscape preservation, thus limiting the release of new mining authorizations and looking for the exhaustion of the existing quarries; and (iii) the third scenario envisages the achievement of all the objectives of the Regional Law, with particular attention on the preservation and enhancement of territorial values, mining activities, and reference market.…”

“…The current century is defined as the Anthropocene era [1]. Human actions and the consumption of non-renewable resources generate pressure on the environment, impacting on its high vulnerability and fragility [2]. Despite their fundamental role in economic development, mining activities represent one of the main sources of human impact on the environment and ecosystem components, both during their life cycle and after their closure.…”

“…The aim is to promote a new idea of the mining industry, grounded on the pillars of the technically feasible, economically profitable, and environmentally sustainable. However, the main efforts have been made in the legislation field, attempting to regulate the mining industries and their activities in a more transparent way [2]. In the European context, the common evaluation approach adopted is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in order to assess the environmental impact derived from mining operations [13].…”