The DPSIR Framework is commonly used in environmental management to describe interactions and relationships between society and the environment in a holistic way. The acronym stands for Drivers, Pressures, State Change, Impact and Response. More recently, the framework has been refined to DAPSI(W)RM, in which “Drivers of basic human needs require Activities which lead to Pressures. The Pressures are the mechanisms of State change on the natural system which then leads to Impacts (on human Welfare). Those then require Responses (as Measures).” The DPSIR/ DAPSI(W)RM Framework can be used to describe the cause-and-effect chain of a problem.
Drivers are basic human needs (e.g. air, food, sleep, protection), including psychological needs (e.g. relationships, trust, independence, prestige) and self-fulfilment needs (e.g. self-fulfilment, seeking personal growth).
Activities can be broadly grouped into sectors (e.g. aquaculture, fisheries, renewable energy, tourism/recreation), which are composed of many activities (e.g. fish aquaculture, mussel cultivation; bottom trawling, pelagic fishing; construction of wind farms, power generation; cruise ship tourism, angling, bathing).
Pressures result from activities and reflect the mechanism of change and can lead to changes in the natural system. They can be grouped into pressures that are outside of the system and cannot be managed in the particular area (e.g. temperature, salinity, sea level changes due to climate change) and those that occur and can be managed within the system boundaries (e.g. under water noise, litter, barrier to species movement; water flow rate changes, input of nutrients).
State Changes relate to changes in the natural environmental system and are caused by single or multiple pressures. These can be changes in physico-chemical parameters (e.g. dissolved oxygen, organic matter) and changes in the biological organisation (e.g. ecosystem structures, loss of biodiversity).
Impacts (on human Welfare) result from changes in the natural system and have consequences for societal welfare. As such, they reflect (positive or negative) changes to the provision of goods and benefits for society.
Those require Responses (as Measures), that is, management responses which can be economic, legal or technical including adaptation measures, technical solution, restrictions, emission reductions, restoration and maintenance. (1)
Within Coastal Management and SAF the DPSIR/ DAPSI(W)RM Framework can be applied to: