Operationalizing risk-based cumulative effect assessments in the marine environment.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Management
• Ecosystem Health
• Risk Assessment

Background:

• Ecosystem-based management necessitates evaluating cumulative effects of human activities and environmental changes.
• Current cumulative effects assessments (CEA) often lack comprehensive and transparent frameworks for integration into decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the operationalization of a risk-based CEA framework across diverse case studies.
• To identify key issues hindering the uptake of CEA outcomes in management and policy.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of eleven contrasting case studies in Europe, French Polynesia, and Canada.
• Application of a risk-based CEA framework (risk identification, analysis, evaluation).
• Development and use of customized tools to analyze uncertainty and data trade-offs.

Main Results:

• The risk-based CEA framework facilitated consistent, coherent, and transparent comparisons of complex assessments at various scales.
• Four critical issues identified for improving CEA uptake: framing context/risk criteria, defining scientist/decision-maker roles, managing complexity, and communicating uncertainty.
• Tools effectively analyzed uncertainty and data trade-offs, aiding decision-makers in understanding management decision repercussions.

Conclusions:

• A well-framed and structured CEA is a strategic tool for integrating ecosystem considerations into sectoral policies.
• Differentiating CEA processes based on context (governance, marine spatial planning, regulatory advice) is recommended.
• Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of management measures in mitigating cumulative effects risks.