7. Conclusion

 

Multicriteria techniques cannot solve all environmental conflicts, but they provide an insight into the nature of such conflicts, on the main issues at stake and into ways of reaching a compromise solution, thus bringing transparency and accountability to decision making processes.

The following table (Vatn, quoted by Antunes P, modified by Johnson P) gives an overview of the assumptions of the main methods analysed, and highlights the main differences between simple monetary valuation (CBA) and multi-criteria methods, as well as differences within the latter group of methods:

Cost-benefit analysis

Multi-criteria  Assessment

Deliberation Method

Individuals are autonomous

Depends

Human beings are social

Individuals act in a rational way

Rationality is bounded

Rationality is communicative, social

Preferences are give

Preferences may change

Preferences may change

Criterias are commensurable

Criterias are incommensurable

Preferences are incommensurable

The preference of society is the sum of individual preferences

The preference of society is made of compromises

The preference of society is constructed socially, trough arguments and other dynamics

Addresses best consumers

Addresses decision makers, stakeholders

Addresses citizens, stakeholders

Tools: market,

 

Tools: forum,

Capacity to pay

Position

Capacity to argue