DPSIR and Causal diagrams

Question 1

What does DPSIR stand for?

What is the DPSIR framework used for?

Answer 1

Driving Forces, Pressures, States, Impacts and Responses.

It is used to analyse the important and interlinked relationships between social and environmental factors.

Question 2

What are the disadvantages of using composite indicators?

Answer 2

• Since opinions are involved in constructing composite indicators there is some subjectivity.
• Might be difficult to see what actions you need to take to solve a problem.
• Might be difficult to communicate.
• If you want to weight them it might be difficult to decide on a method.
• There might be problems with data availability.
• You see the big picture but not all the details.

Question 3

And what are the benefits of using composite indicators?

Answer 3

• Easy to communicate with general public.
• Can show the big picture. Visualisation of the problem.
• Allows comparison of complex dimensions

Question 4

Give four indicators that can be used to say something about thebiodiversity in a particular forest.

Answer 4

• Number of species per area -> direct indicator
• Forest cover / land cover -> Indirect indicator
• Biomass per unit area -> indirect indicator
• Orangutangs per unit area. -> indirect indicator
• Forest fragmentation -> indirect indicator
• Endemic/ reddlist species -> semi-direct indicator

Question 5

Why is drawing a conceptual diagram so useful in Environmental Systems Analysis?

Answer 5

• To understand a system
• To communicate discuss/ visualize how the system works
• Helps to identify gaps in knowledge

Question 6

Think about the DPSIR framework. What would be aDriverindicator for climate change? And what is appropriate indicator forImpact? Can you think of types of Impact indicators?

Answer 6

• Driver indicators: population increase; economic growth; deforestation
• Impact indicators: temperature increase, sea level rise, biodiversity loss, etc.

Question 7

What is the aim of causal diagram?

Answer 7

To link the different elements and processes of environmental system in order to explain cause and effect relationships

Question 8

What are the components of a DPSIR diagram?

Answer 8

• Driving force: Social on economic developments that lead to a pressure.
• Pressure: intervention that leads to a change in the state.
• State: the state of the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere or aqua sphere (environmental quality)
• Impact: the societal (ecological) impact of a change in the state.
• Response: a societal response that feeds back on the driving force, the Pressures, the State or Impact.

Question 9

What are the shortcomings of DPSIR?

Answer 9

Cannot include feedback loops.

Question 10

Why are indicators important in ESA?

Answer 10

By selecting appropriate indicators changes in drivers, pressures, states and environmental impact can be commu­nicated and it can be assessed whether a response was successful.

Question 11

What is a good indicator?

Answer 11

• Those that are: easy to communicate and understand
• Well defined / scientifically meaningful
• Measurable / quantifiable (i. e. have a unit)
• Cost-effective
• Respond predictably to policies

Question 12

What are composite indicators?

Answer 12

It is a combination of different indicators e. g the Environmental sustainability Index (ESI)

Question 13

What are the differences between absolute, relative and trend indicators?

Answer 13

• Absolute indicators → eg. Co2 emissions/ year.
• Relative indicators → CO2 emissions /capita
• Trend indicators → evolution of CO2 emissions / capita over time.