System Cause-Effect Analysis

The System Cause-Effect Analysis is a straightforward procedure for developing an integrated set of ecosystem-based management actions for a given spatial domain using the model resulting from the Ecosystem Context Analysis.

This analysis is jointly executed by all relevant stakeholders during a workshop which lasts two-three days depending on the management complexity of the given application case; the execution of this workshop is eased using the PROGES-ISP software suite.

Stakeholders can effectively balance social, economic and ecological dimensions of sustainable development

Stakeholders systemically analyses pairs of components of the diagram which models the relevant ecological, social and economic dynamics to: i) assess the conservation and/or development status of the pair’s components and their interaction (represented in the model by the arrow link the pair of components); ii) estimate the current level of use, of overexploitation, or of untapped-potential of the relevant ecosystem services; iii) use these assessments and estimates to identify management measures targeted to the sustainable use of the ecosystem services.

Following this procedure, each management measure responds to the conservation and/or sustainable development needs of the two ecological and/or socio-economic components to which it is associated (trigger for action) and ensures the sustainability to the socio-ecological interaction between the very pair of components (targets for action).

Stakeholders perform a real-time data analyses and achieve an effective ecosystem-based integration

Using the PROGES-ISP software suite, stakeholders can quickly and effectively analyse spatial patterns and time trends of each index and indicator associated with the various elements of the boxes-and-arrows diagram resulting from the Ecosystem Context Analysis.

They can thus perform a systematic analysis of all pairs of components to identify triggers and target for action as outlined above. When moving through the analysis of the various pairs of components to identify new management measures, possible side-effects of the previously identified measures are inevitably considered when the analysed pair includes one of the two components of the previous pair (ecosystem-based integration of management measures).