Assessment and mapping environmental carrying capacity under urbanization stress in Fars Province using fuzzy logic modeling: A comparison between entropy and AHP fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method

The synergistic effects of economic growth, development, and a rapidly increasing population have significantly increased the demand for energy and food, leading to greater utilization of resources and environmental consequences. Therefore, policymakers must assess environmental sustainability and its impact on sustainable development. The present study aims to quantify and analyze the environmental carrying capacity of the Fars Province in Iran through the application of a comprehensive fuzzy methodology. The results reveal distinct patterns of environmental and economic capacity across different counties. In Shiraz, the carrying capacity, determined through a combined weighting system, was found to be significantly low, mainly because of the high population pressure and urbanization. Approximately 70 % of the province's land area is characterized by medium to low environmental carrying capacity, particularly in southern and central urban regions. Moreover, a model focusing on the degree of obstacles was applied to examine the relationship between environmental quality and the various factors that influence it. The research outcomes emphasize that the quality of habitats and the level of vegetation coverage are the principal factors that limit the province's carrying capacity, with the frequency of obstacles recorded at over 85 %. This underscores the importance of targeted intervention. Thus, counties in critical conditions should prioritize investments in these aspects to enhance their environmental quality and subsequently move towards developmental efforts.