From Quantitative to Qualitative Environmental Analyses

Abstract

Growing urbanization and economic development threaten natural resources. To achieve sustainable development goals, it is imperative to develop a more realistic and accurate modelling of socio-environmental issues and controls the expanding exploitation of natural resources by identifying the underpinning facts. Usually, to resolve scientific problems, conceptual frameworks and the mental model are exercised to relate the real-world scenarios. A number of mental models have been presented by the researchers, but reliability has always been challenged during translation towards an analogous physical model. The measurable points such as operability over spatial and temporal coverage and vary in levels (macro, micro, and meso); quantitative as well as quantitative research has been included, but it is complicated to address issues related to policy and practice. This chapter is an attempt to address the approaches of various mental model and physical models with its interoperability and translational challenges. This includes understanding the subject and its values, scales, perceptions, and other beliefs among the different stakeholders, which affect ability to implement an existing model.