Sges intro class

• DPSIR Framework


  Driving forces, Pressures, States, Impacts, Responses
• The DPSIR framework was proposed by RIVM to the European Environment Agency (EEA) as a way to develop a strategy for Integrated Environmental Assessment

  
• The DPSIR framework has since been more widely adopted by the EEA as an integrated approach for reporting, e.g. in the EEA's State of the Environment Reports
• DPSIR framework


  • Gives a structure within which to present the indicators needed to enable feedback to policy makers on environmental quality and the resulting impact of the political choices made, or to be made in the future

  
• DPSIR framework


  1. Driving forces (economic sectors, human activities)

  2. Pressures (emissions, waste)

  3. States (physical, chemical and biological)

  4. Impacts (on ecosystems, human health and functions)

  5. Responses (prioritisation, target setting, indicators)

  
• Describing the causal chain from driving forces to impacts and responses is a complex task, and tends to be broken down into sub-tasks, e.g. by considering the pressure-state relationship
• Examples of primary driving forces for an individual

  • Need for shelter
  • Need for food
  • Need for water
• Examples of secondary driving forces for an individual

  • Need for mobility
  • Need for entertainment
  • Need for culture
• Examples of driving forces for an industrial sector

  • Need to be profitable
  • Need to produce at low costs
• Examples of driving forces for a nation

  • Need to keep unemployment levels low
• Examples of data on driving forces

  • Population (number, age structure, education levels, political stability)
  • Transport (persons, goods; road, water, air, off-road)
  • Energy use (energy factors per type of activity, fuel types, technology)
  • Power plants (types of plants, age structure, fuel types)
  • Industry (types of plants, age structure, resource types)
  • Refineries/Mining (types of plant/minings, age structure)
  • Agriculture (number of animals, types of crops, stables, fertilisers)
  • Landfills (type, age)
  • Sewage systems (types)
  • Non-industrial sectors
  • Land use
• Pressures


  Human activities such as transportation or food production that exert pressures on the environment, which can be divided into three main types: (i) excessive use of environmental resources, (ii) changes in land use, and (iii) emissions (of chemicals, waste, radiation, noise) to air, water and soil
• Examples of pressures


  • Use of resources
  • Emissions (direct and indirect to air, water and soil)
  • Production of waste
  • Production of noise
  • Radiation
  • Vibration
  • Hazards (risks)
• State


  The quality of the various environmental compartments (air, water, soil, etc.) in relation to the functions that these compartments fulfil. The 'state of the environment' is the combination of the physical, chemical and biological conditions.
• Examples of environmental states

  • Air quality (national, regional, local, urban, etc.)
  • Water quality (rivers, lakes, seas, coastal zones, groundwater)
  • Soil quality (national, local, natural areas, agricultural areas)
  • Ecosystems (biodiversity, vegetation, soil organisms, water organisms)
  • Humans (health)
  • Soil use
• Impacts


  The changes in the physical, chemical or biological state of the environment that determine the quality of ecosystems and the welfare of human beings
• Responses


  The result of an undesired impact that can affect any part of the chain between driving forces and impacts, such as a policy to change mode of transportation or a regulation concerning permissible emission levels
• NERI has proposed a methodology in which environmental problems are defined and structured in such a way that a clear relationship to pressures emerges, often using physical or chemical state indicators as the target variable, while the associated changes in biological state variables are treated as derived effects

  
• A similar argument can be presented for the causal links between the driving forces (i.e. the basic socio-economic development of the different sectors of society) and the environmental pressures in terms of emissions, resource use and land use
• The relationship between the 'Driving Forces' and 'Pressures' is a function of the eco-efficiency of the technology and related systems in use, with less 'Pressures' coming from more 'Driving Forces' if eco-efficiency is improving
• The relationship between the 'Impacts' on humans or ecosystems and the 'State' depends on the carrying capacities and thresholds for these systems

  
• Whether society 'Responds' to impacts depends on how these impacts are perceived and evaluated, and the results of 'Responses' on the 'Driving Forces' depends on the effectiveness of the Response
• The environmental pressures resulting from human activities (emissions, resource use and land use) are a function of the level of these activities and the technology applied in these activities
• The aim of managing water resources is to safeguard human health whilst maintaining sustainable aquatic and associated terrestrial ecosystems
• The DPSIR model can be used as an analytical framework for assessing water issues, allowing a comprehensive assessment of the relevant Driving forces and Pressures on the environment, the consequent State of the environment and its Impacts, and the Responses undertaken, and of the interlinkages between each of these elements

  
• Many of the pressures and the underlying driving forces are common to all or a number of the water issues, such as agriculture being a significant driving force in terms of ecological quality, nutrient and organic pollution, hazardous substances and water quantity
• DPSIR framework


  Driving forces, Pressures, State, Impacts, Responses
• The state of water is determined by natural factors such as geology and climate and also by the pressures exerted by human activities
• Many of the pressures and the underlying driving forces are common to all or a number of the issues. For example, agriculture is a significant driving force in terms of ecological quality, nutrient and organic pollution, hazardous substances and water quantity
• DPSIR framework for water quantity

  1. Driving forces: Industry, Energy, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Households, Tourism, Climate

  2. Pressures: Total abstractions, Sectoral water use: agriculture, industry, households, tourism

  3. State: Available water, Freshwater shortage, Modification of streamflows, Saltwater intrusion, Groundwater levels

  4. Impacts: Decreases in groundwater levels, Impacts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, Saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers

  5. Responses: Overall reservoir stocks, Water prices, Water use efficiency, Water leakage, Climate change

  
• DPSIR framework for organic pollution and eutrophication

  1. Driving forces: Industry, Agriculture - livestock density and fertiliser use, Households - waste water treatment

  2. Pressures: Discharges from point source, Atmospheric deposition, Loads to coastal waters

  3. State: Nitrogen and phosphorus in rivers, lakes and marine waters, Nitrate in groundwater, Organic matter in rivers, Chlorophyll in lakes and marine waters

  4. Impacts: Exceedance of standards for drinking water and bathing waters, Secchi depth in lakes, Low oxygen in bottom layers of marine waters, Harmful phytoplankton in coastal waters

  5. Responses: Measures to reduce non-point sources (agriculture), Waste water treatment (households and industry)
• The GIWA causal chain analyses cluster into five major problem areas of concern for the aquatic environment: Freshwater shortage, Pollution, Habitat and community modification, Unsustainable exploitation of fisheries and other living resources, Global change
• The causal chain is an assessment of the linkages between problems and their underlying (root) causes. It includes immediate causes, sector activities/intermediate causes, and the root causes i.e., human activities leading to the creation of the problem
• South Africa used the DPSIR framework for identifying core indicators for inland waters

  
• The main drivers of change on inland waters and the main areas of impact of these drivers were presented in the 1999 State of Environment Report for South Africa

  
• DPSIR framework for limited freshwater resources in South Africa

  1. Driving forces: Population growth, Economic development, Urbanisation, Agriculture, Industry, Mining, Energy production

  2. Pressures: Water abstraction, Pollution, Land-use changes

  3. State: Surface water availability, Groundwater availability, Water quality

  4. Impacts: Ecosystem degradation, Water shortages, Conflicts over water use

  5. Responses: Water conservation, Demand management, Pollution control, Ecosystem rehabilitation

  
• It's important not to choose a topic that has already been written about extensively or one that is too broad.
• A good topic will be interesting, relevant, and have enough information available.