A fuzzy expert system for sustainable local development

This research develops a fuzzy logic-based expert system that models the three main dimensions of sustainable development (SD) (social, economic and environmental) in relation to local areas. We applied this system to a lagging Southern Italian province that includes 97 municipalities with different levels of development. This approach allowed for the inclusion of experts' opinions, which ensured a more comprehensive assessment of SD than methods based solely on quantitative indicators. The results denote gaps in the SD of the examined municipalities, highlighting differences in the social, economic and environmental dimensions that may inform the design of SD policies.