Optimizing the industrial structure of a watershed in association with economic–environmental consideration: an inexact fuzzy multi-objective programming model

An inexact fuzzy multi-objective programming model (IFMOP) is developed in this study for dealing with industrial structure optimization problems under uncertainty. The IFMOP model is formulated based on integration of an inexact linear programming (ILP), fuzzy flexible optimization (FFO), and multi-objective programming (MOP). It improves upon the existing industrial structure optimization model with advantages in uncertainty reflection, model coupling, data availability and computational requirement. The model can deal with uncertainties expressed as discrete intervals and fuzzy sets. Therefore, it can effectively reflect dynamic, interactive complex, and uncertain characteristics of industrial system without unrealistic simplification. Moreover, the model can be used for supporting temporal and spatial optimization of industrial structure under a variety of environmental and socio-economic conditions. The developed model is first applied to a real case of planning industrial structure of South Four Lake watershed in Shandong province, China. Results demonstrated that the model could help decision makers generate stable and balanced industrial structure patterns, gain in-depth insights into effects of the uncertainties, and analyze trade-offs among economical objective, environmental protection and social demand.