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Pressures, impacts and policy responses have been identified for 18 coastal sites in Europe. These sites were selected as study sites for the SPICOSA project, as they constitute together a representative sample of the diversity of European coastal environments. A comparative analysis reveals striking similarities between coastal sites in spite of widely different physical, environmental, social and economic conditions. It therefore makes sense to share experience on policies and practices for defining the best policy responses in each particular case. A generic framework for analysis is under construction in the SPICOSA project, based on the systems approach. This framework of analysis enables the transfer of knowledge and experience among coastal sites, with full consideration of site-specific conditions. The set of 18 SPICOSA study sites is representative for the diversity of European coastal environments. They all host valuable ecosystems and most of them have a NATURA2000 status.

Coastal zones provide society with a great wealth of goods and services. They support numerous different functions and uses; coastal zones are typically multifunctional areas. However, resources and space in coastal zones are limited. When exploiting one resource, it is difficult to avoid a negative impact on other goods and services. The best exploitation strategy for an individual user is probably not the best strategy for a user group and the best exploitation strategy for one particular user group is probably not the best strategy for all different user groups together. So is it possible to define an optimum exploitation strategy? Are there objective criteria? These are key questions of ICZM. Different uses mutually interact and they are affected by natural and anthropogenic feedback. Cause-effect chains are generally not straightforward; this explains the need for a DPSIR systems approach, which is being developed in the SPICOSA project.

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