WAMSI PhD Top-up - 3.9.3 - The policy relevance of Choice Modelling: an application to Ningaloo Marine Park

Choice Modelling (CM) is a valuation technique commonly applied to estimate dollar values for environmental assets. It has had limited impact with respect to its use in policy, despite its demonstrated advantages in quantifying existence values. Its slow uptake in guiding real-world decisions raises questions about its relevance for policy.

This study provides some insight as to whether the technique is in fact useful to inform policy by investigating two key issues:

(1) whether preferences diverge between the general public and expert scientist populations; and

(2) whether the inclusion of management processes in the choice model has an impact on preferences.

If preferences are found to be divergent between the public and experts, it follows that public consultation is an essential component of decision making processes, and that CM is indeed a relevant approach to inform policy of public preferences.

选择建模法（Choice Modelling，CM）是一种常用于为环境资产估算货币价值的估值技术。尽管其在量化存在价值方面已被证实具备显著优势，但在政策实践中的应用影响力仍较为有限。其在指导现实决策方面的推广进度迟缓，这引发了学界对其政策适用性的质疑。

本研究围绕两大核心议题展开探讨，旨在明晰该技术是否确实可为政策制定提供有效参考：
（1）普通公众与科研专家群体的偏好是否存在分歧；
（2）在选择模型中纳入管理流程是否会对偏好产生影响。

若研究证实公众与专家的偏好存在分歧，则可推知公众咨询是决策流程中不可或缺的组成部分，同时也证明选择建模法（CM）确实是向政策传递公众偏好的有效路径。