Coastal Systems Approach Framework
Summary
The SAF is a product of the SPICOSA research project, funded by the European Commission from 2007- 2011. SPICOSA stands for ‘Science and Policy Integration for COastal System Assessment’. Its research was aimed at developing and testing a toolbox of methods for providing multidisciplinary and trans- disciplinary advice to environmental managers and policy-makers concerning environmental problems in the coastal zone, in order to improve the zone’s ecological sustainability, economic efficiency, and social equity. Sustainability relates to the capability of an ecosystem to go on supplying humans with ‘goods and services’. Efficiency is about making the best use of those resources for the satisfaction of human needs. Equity is about the fair distribution of such satisfaction.
It was in response to the need for such a methodology, that the SPICOSA project developed and tested the Systems Approach Framework or SAF.
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The project
Date: 2007-2011
SPICOSA local applications aim to bridge the gap between coastal stakeholders across various aspects of local economy, policies, uses, conflicts and impacts to enable the dialogue that may lead to sustainability.