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Overview

Integrated analysis of environmental trends and policies is one of the core elements

of integrated environmental assessment (IEA). The integrated analysis described in
Module
5 this module helps answer the following three questions:
1. What is happening to the environment and why?

2. What are the consequences for the environment and humanity?

3. What is being done, and how effective is it?

In order to answer these questions, IEA analyses environment and human well-
being trends and dynamics based on the drivers-pressures-state-impacts-responses
(DPSIR) framework.

Using this framework, the assessment identifies the drivers of human development
and associated pressures that, along with natural processes, affect the state and
trends of the environment. Changes in the state of the environment have impacts
on ecosystem services and aspects of human well-being. In order to assess how
society is responding to these problems and effectiveness of these responses, IEA
analyses policies directed at the mitigation and conservation of the environment,
as well as adaptation by people to the environmental impacts.

Integrated assessment of the state of the environment identifies priority
environmental and sustainability issues, specific indicators, and policy targets for a
given issue. Such a process could also be used to identify linkages to human well-
being. The current module reviews three types of analyses of impacts on human
well-being: a qualitative analysis of impacts, an analysis based on the ecosystem

and human well-being framework, and analysis of ecosystem - human well-being
connections based on economic valuation.

The analysis of policy responses identifies existing policy measures, both in terms
of their effects and their effectiveness. This involves considering both the policy

landscape to identify potential gaps, and an in-depth analysis of particular policies

6 Integrated Analysis of Environmental Trends and Policies