SPICOSA (Science and Policy Integration for Coastal System Assessment) was a major European Union-funded research project. Running from 2007 to 2011, it developed an interdisciplinary method called the System Approach Framework (SAF) to assess the environmental, social, and economic impacts of human activities on coastal zones
This four year project was set up by the European Union with 54 partner institutes in 21 countries using ExtendSim to study 18 coastal sites in the EU project SPICOSA. Its goal was to assist Europe in its goal of achieving Sustainable Development by developing and testing a conceptual methodological framework for transition in coastal zones. The SPICOSA initiative originates from the fact that coastal systems are under increasing human pressure and policy has not been able to respond properly to the resulting negative impacts on ecological, social and economic systems.
Key aspects of the project included:
- Purpose: To bridge the gap between scientific research and policy-making to help communities sustainably manage coastal ecosystems.
- Methodology: The SAF treats coastal zones as integrated, complex systems, analyzing cause-and-effect chains to evaluate the outcomes of different management scenarios.
- Study Sites: The framework was tested across 18 varying coastal locations throughout Europe, ranging from Loch Fyne in Scotland to the Black Sea in Romania.
To dive into the methodology, case studies, or the scientific papers that came out of this initiative, check out the Coastal Wiki Portal or explore the SPICOSA Projects and Case Studies Database.