Assisting Coastal and Marine Governance: Enhancing Decision Support Through Digital Tools for Cumulative Impact Assessment

Abstract

Coastal regions are increasingly pressured by diverse human activities, leading to cumulative effects that undermine ecosystem integrity and functioning, including disruptions to biodiversity, habitat degradation, and alterations of ecological processes. Understanding and addressing these complex interactions is a prerequisite for effective environmental management. This study demonstrates how the web-based PlanWise4Blue tool analyzes the cumulative effects of human activities on coastal ecosystems using a data-driven approach, enabling stakeholders to compare different management scenarios and identify options to mitigate ecological impacts or enhance marine health. By bridging the complexity of natural systems and decision-making, the tool strengthens e-governance, promoting more effective environmental management.