The use of lexicographic goal programming in economic/ecolocical conflict analysis

Abstract Natural resource planning problems often involve economic, environmental and social concerns that are in conflict with one another. It is important, therefore, to assess the nature and extent of these conflicts. The study described below uses lexicographic goal programming to analyze the trade-offs that exist between economic, environmental and energy factors in the development of forest energy plantations in Eastern Ontario, Canada. The method is able to identify the relationships among goals and to quantitatively assess the degree to which changing the level of achievement of a particular goal affects the attainment of all others.