Page 16 - Module_1_EN

Module provides to humankind, such as the provision of clean air and water, food and protection from ultra-violet
1 radiation. As a result of changes in services and mediated by demographic, social and material factors,

there are impacts on human well-being (health, material assets, good social relations and security).
Responses include both formal and informal attempts to either adapt to the changes in environmental
services or to reduce the pressures on the environment.

9-12 December, 2013 drivers, pressures, state, impact and responses are at these different levels, sometimes predominantly
The layering of the global, regional and local levels in the GEO-4 framework emphasizes the fact that

at one level, and that the levels also interact. As illustrated by the bar at the bottom of the diagram,
changes in human society and the environment unfold on different, short, medium- and long-term time

scales.

Figure 2 The Conceptual Framework of GEO-4

DRIVERS (D): HUMAN SOCIETY IMPACTS (I):
Change in human well-being
Material, Human and Social Capital
broadly defined as human freedoms of
choice and actions, to achieve, inter alia:
• Security
Human development:
• Demographics RESPONSES (R) • Basic material needs
• Economic processes (consumption, • Good health
production, markets and trade) to environmental challenges: • Good social relations
• Scientific and technological innovation Formal and informal adaptation to, and which may result in human development
• Distribution pattern processes (inter- or poverty, inequity and human
and intragenerational) mitigation of, environmental change vulnerability.
• Cultural, social, political and institutional (including restoration) by altering human
(including production and service activity and development patterns within and
sectors) processes between the D, P and I boxes through inter Demographic, social (institutional)
alia: science and technology, policy, law and and material factors determining
institutions. human well-being
PRESSURES (P):
Environmental factors determining
Human interventions in the environment: human well-being
• Land use • Ecological services such as provisioning
• Resource extraction services (consumptive use), cultural
• External inputs (fertilizers, chemicals, STATE-AND-TRENDS (S): services (nonconsumptive use),
irrigation) regulating services and supporting
• Emissions (pollutants and waste) Natural capital: services (indirect use)
• Modification and movement of atmosphere, land, water and biodiversity • Non-ecosystem natural resources ie
organisms hydrocarbons, minerals and renewable
energy
• Stress, inter alia diseases, pests, radiation
Environmental impacts and change:
• Climate change and depletion of the and hazards
stratospheric ozone layer
Natural processes: • Biodiversity change
• Solar radiation • Pollution, degradation and/or depletion
• Volcanoes of air, water, minerals and land (including
• Earthquakes desertification)

14 The GEO Approach to Integrated Environmental Assessment