Analysis of Sustainable Development Priorities in Geopark Areas: The Case of Türkiye

This study is part of the process of developing a model aligned with the sustainability dimensions of geoparks, which are considered sensitive and fragile areas within the balance between protection and use, with examples from Türkiye. To achieve this, a hybrid multi criteria decision making framework was developed by integrating the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Technique for Ranking Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). The evaluation of numerous decision parameters within this approach was analysis across three dimensions: socio-economic, cultural-educational, and environmental, related to sustainable development goals. Experts identified the priority sustainability criteria for geoparks, and an expert panel was formed for the case studies; these opinions were found to be reliable. The approach's sensitivity has been tested to confirm the model's stability. The developed model determined that environmental criteria, geological/hydrological risks, and conservation status are the most decisive dimensions for protection and use within the context of geopark sustainability. In socio-economic dimensions, transportation infrastructure, tourism pressure, and local development play a critical role in geopark priority rankings. Cultural and educational dimensions, on the other hand, are distinguishing criteria for geoparks with a strong perspective and ranking of scientific visibility, geo-education, and cultural heritage. This study demonstrates that selected geoparks in Türkiye are designated as areas of local, national, and international importance based on sustainability indicators. The research emphasizes the importance of geoparks in sustainable development and presents a scientifically grounded, extensible geopark assessment model to analyze their performance.