1. Critique of the DPSIR framework
Alice Newton
IMAR- University of Algarve

2. DPSIR “vocabulary” Drivers Pressures State Impacts Responses
Advantage:
ordinary words
not jargon
Disadvantage:
frequently misused or
substituted
DPSIR is a causal framework for describing the interactions between society and the environment.
This framework has been adopted by the European Environment Agency. The components of this model are:
Driving forces
Pressures
States
Impacts
Responses
This framework is an extension of the pressure-state-response model developed by OECD.
As a first step, data and information on all the different elements in the DPSIR chain is collected. Then possible connections between these different aspects are postulated. Through the use of the DPSIR modelling framework, it is possible to gauge the effectiveness of responses put into place
OECD (1993).
OECD core set of indicators for environmental performance reviews. OECD Environment Monographs No. 83. OECD. Paris.

3. DPSIR + eutrophication
Pressures
DPSIR + eutrophication
BOD DO
Nutrients
State variables
Responses
OECD 1993
Core set of Indicators for Environmental Performance Reviews.
Environment Monographs 83. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris
OECD, 2004
Key Environmental Indicators. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris
Indicators of environmental pressures:
A complete set of pressure indicators would comprise emissions of nitrogen and phosphate
from manure, fertilizer, domestic and industrial waste water, sewage sludge, dredge spoil and
solid waste, corrected for the absorption of phosphates and nitrogen by crops. This could be
further extended to reflect a proper nutrient balance.
Data availability: at the international level, few data are available for the entire range of emission
sources of phosphorus or nitrogen as well as for the absorption of phosphates and nitrogen by
crops. Currently, measurements are confined to the apparent consumption of fertilizers and
general information on waste water discharges.
Aggregate amounts of fertilizers must be measured in terms of N or P to account for
different types of fertilizers. Livestock density provides a rough but measurable proxy for
potential eutrophication from manure.
Indicators of environmental conditions:
Direct indicators of the extent of eutrophication relate to the phosphate and nitrate contents of inland and
marine waters. Biological oxygen demand of water bodies or the degree of dissolved oxygen
can also be considered indicative of eutrophication.
Measuring excess nutrients in soil complicates matters significantly. The focus of indicators is
therefore on water. A general problem related to indicators of ambient quality is how to carry out
spatial aggregation to present meaningful national figures: forming averages is seldom a satisfactory
solution so that often data of representative sites are shown rather than national figures.
Data availability: at the international level, data are available for BOD, phosphate and nitrate
concentrations for selected rivers in OECD countries (Source: OECD).
Indicators of societal responses:
Several indicators would appear useful to show society’s efforts towards reducing eutrophication and
excess nutrients: the extent of chemical and/or biological waste water treatment, the extent to
which levies on sewage water treatment cover actual costs, the market share of phosphate-free
detergents. For non-point sources, in particular agricultural ones, an indicator reflecting best
farming practices could be introduced.
Data availability: for OECD countries, data on the share of the population connected to sewage
treatment plants are available in the short run (Source: OECD). Information on the type of
treatment and on waste water charges remains partial. Data on the market share of phosphatefree
detergents should be available more easily (Source: industry associations).
O.E.C.D. 1993, 2004

4. DPSIR + eutrophication
Pdf: (5.2 EEA Tech Rep 86 Eutro indic)
European Environment Agency (EEA). 2001
Gunni Ærtebjerg, Jacob Carstensen, Karsten Dahl, Jørgen Hansen, Kari Nygaard, Brage Rygg, Kai Sørensen, Gunnar Severinsen, Sara Casartelli, Wolfram Schrimpf, Christian Schiller, Jean Noel Druon, Anita Künitzer
Eutrophication in Europe’s coastal waters
Topic report 7/2001

5. Drivers: need to update, maybe price of oil will be a major driver with increased biofuels
Pressures: need to consider “difficult” aspects such as loss of denitrifying wetlands, atmospheric deposition

6. Examples of “New” drivers
Tourism: car, plane, golf, demographics of coast
Lifestyles: joining EU!, changing economies central to market, changing diets, more meat
Agriculture (actually biomass production): biofuels, aquaculture

7. Environmental Ecological Economic Social Health
Impacts Need to break these down and check on all to see if there is are impacts that are:
Environmental Ecological Economic Social
Health

8. Impacts environmental e.g. increase turbidity,
ecological, e.g. loss of biodiversity,
economic e.g. lower fish catches,
social e.g. loss of fishing jobs
health e.g. contaminated shellfish

9. Impacts Environmental Ecological Economic Social Health
Poor water quality
Loss of seagrass, ecosystem service nursery function
Loss of fishing catch and revenues
Loss of fishing jobs
Contaminated shellfish

10. ECOLOGICAL IMPACT Biological Quality Elements Phytoplankton
Other plants
Benthos
Fish
Annex V of WFD and Intercalibration

11. STATE IMPACT (ECOLOGICAL)
Supporting elements:
Nutrient concentrations
Si:N
N:P
Transparency
Bottom water Oxygen
BQE metrics
Chlorophyll a
Cell counts
HAB
Opportunist algae biomass
Biodiversity of benthos
AMBI
Biological Quality Elements
Phytoplankton
Other plants
Benthos
Fish
Annex V of WFD and Intercalibration

12. ECOLOGICAL ECONOMIC IMPACT IMPACT
Phytoplankton
Increase HABs, NABs
Other plants
Loss of seagrass
Increase opportunistic algae
Benthos
Loss of sensitive taxa,
Increase tolerant taxa
Fish
Loss of nurseries for juveniles
Loss of sensitive taxa
Loss of aquaculture revenue
Loss of tourism revenue
Public health concerns ASP, DSP, NSP
Cost of removing algae
Mass mortalities
Loss of shellfisheries revenue
Fish kills
Loss of fisheries revenue
Annex V of WFD and Intercalibration

13. e.g. new management criteria, new infrastructure,
Responses
of society,
e.g. new management criteria, new infrastructure,
new policy

14. Conclusions

15. Drivers: need to update, maybe price of oil will be a major driver with increased biofuels
Pressures: need to consider “difficult” aspects such as loss of denitrifying wetlands, atmospheric deposition
State: need to test the metrics for the physico-chemical supporting quality elements and the Biological Quality Elements and move towards INTEGRATIVE ASSESSMENT
Impact: must link economic impact to ecological impacts, NOT consider them separately. Clearly shows the value of ecosystem services
Response: Should address the drivers! Is building UWWT plants the only answer? What about CAP and farming practices?