Use of multicriteria decision analysis in transmission line routing: reflections on the inclusion of sustainability in decision making process

In recent years, there has been a growing integration of geographic information systems (GIS) tools with multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods to develop automated techniques for transmission line (TL) routing. The GIS-MCDA approach aims to integrate conflicting interests and incorporate, into the decision-making process, criteria encompassing social, environmental, technological, and economic aspects, rather than focusing solely on minimizing financial costs. This paper presents a thorough analysis of how sustainable development aspects are incorporated in the GIS-MCDA approach. We performed a comparative analysis of the criteria attractiveness scores of studies that employ GIS-MCDA for TL routing. The results indicate that certain criteria, such as linear infrastructure corridors and fields and pastures, are considered highly attractive. The criterion related to environmental preservation area have low attractiveness, however, the criterion related to areas with forest remnants and native vegetation showed considerable variation in attractiveness. In general, technical criteria present greater consensus regarding attractiveness, while some sensitive socio-environmental criteria present less consensus. This research highlights the importance of considering multiple criteria and perspectives within the GIS-MCDA approach to effectively evaluate the attractiveness of different areas for TL routing. It emphasizes the need to move beyond solely financial considerations and incorporate socio-environmental aspects in the decision-making process. The results presented in this paper can serve as a handy resource for researchers.