Toward a harmonized approach for environmental assessment of human activities in the marine environment

摘要: With a foreseen increase in maritime activities, and driven by new policies conventions aiming at sustainable management of the marine ecosystem, spatial sea is growing importance. Spatial should ensure that collective pressures caused anthropogenic activities on ecosystem are kept within acceptable levels. A multitude approaches to environmental assessment available provide insight for management, there need harmonized integrated approach can be used different purposes variable levels detail. This article first provides an overview main types assessments: "environmental impact assessment" (EIA), "strategic (SEA), "cumulative effect (CEA), (or ecological) risk (ERA). Addressing conceptual "umbrella" fragmented approaches, generic framework proposed: cumulative effects offshore (CUMULEO). CUMULEO builds principle cause may lead adverse ecosystem. Basic elements variables defined consistently throughout sequential decision-making diverse methodological implementations. enables start high strategic level (i.e., plan and/or program level), resulting early awareness subsequently more informed, efficient, focused project-level assessments, which has clear benefits both industry government. Its strengths simplicity, transparency, flexibility (allowing use qualitative quantitative data), visualization, making it powerful support discussions with experts, stakeholders, policymakers. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:632-642. © 2015 SETAC.