On the application of multi-criteria decision-making methods in environmental pollution management: a comprehensive systematic review

The negative effects of environmental pollution, which threaten ecosystems, animals, and human health, have become more pronounced in recent years. Immediate action is required due to the devastating impacts of pollution on the air, water, and land. By realizing the scope of the problem and pursuing sustainable solutions through decision-making methods, these negative effects pave the path for a cleaner, healthier earth that can be decreased for future generations. This review of the literature looks at the collection of previous studies to investigate the connection between environmental pollution and Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) identifying major trends, approaches, and problems. All the publications have been indexed in the "Web of Science" database from 2000 to 2024 in the field. The present research gap, obtained by case study investigation, is analyzed to clear the future directions and trends of the field in detail using a comprehensive systematic review. The findings reveal that air pollutants such as carbon dioxide have been addressed more than the other pollutant types since 2013. Moreover, the application of "Fuzzy theory" and "Grey theory" appears to be more common in discussing uncertainty compared to others. Also, MCDM techniques can be complemented with other decision support tools, such as Life cycle assessment (LCA), risk assessment, and cost-benefit analysis to enhance the robustness of decision-making. Finally, this study facilitates decision-making procedures on pollution management using the introduction of the most appropriate countries' cases by industry and pollution type to provide sustainable and ideal solutions.