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H. Coccossis and K. Dimitriou
general objectives and policies to achieve sustainable development, and then their
elaboration into area-specific management actions for land and sea uses, mobilizing
various policy instruments, procedures and controls, legal institutional and financial
requirements etc. (OECD, 1993).
During the implementation phase the long-term management strategy is
transformed into specific actions and projects which are supplemented by monitoring
and a continuous information feedback. Several tools can be used for the sustainable
multi-sectoral management of coastal activities. Regulatory instruments include landuse planning, building regulations, licensing activities based on environmental impact
statements, construction guidelines for the coastline, conservation regulations, etc.
At this phase the use of DSS could be proved essential in Integrated Coastal
Area Management. Although a vital aspect of any information system for effective
management is clarity and simplicity, the complex patterns of interactions between
natural and human ecosystems occurring in coastal areas, require complex and
integrated approaches (Coccossis, 1985).
The differentiation and diversification in the scales of the complex patterns of
interactions in both time and space make the use of GIS ideal for coastal management
purposes. The ability of GIS to store, handle and analyze spatial data (geographical
and attribute) together with their real time performance boosts the decision making
process. The linkage, combination, intersection etc of various layers for the extraction
of the objective in parallel with the built-in capability of algebraic operations makes
GISs a necessary tool for the direct evaluation of the management process.
It is generally regarded that the idea of Decision Support Systems started with
the work of Gorry and Scott-Morton (1971). Nowadays it is accepted that these systems
focus on decisions and on supporting rather than replacing the decision-maker.
Decision theory focuses on finding the best solution to any problem. Orthodox DSS use
the so-called constrained optimization and are firmly established on a single criterion
approach. The ICAM process implies conflicting interests and presents
multidimensional characteristics where a single criterion is not sufficient and multiple
criteria are needed. Multicriteria evaluation methods are powerful tools in conflict
management and could be embodied to DSSs. The aim is the development of a DSS
capable of handling multiple criteria.
As there is a multitude of interests and management objectives, a coastal GIS
should reflect to the extent possible such concerns in order to link cross-impacts.
Although some interactions are measurable and therefore quantifiable a number of
linkages and phenomena can only be expressed in a qualitative manner. This fact
generates the necessity to embody a multiobjective DSS to the GIS (Despotakis, 1991).
The variety of decision making situations especially where spatial information is of
crucial importance generate the so called Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSSs)
which are an important subset of DSS.
A crucial aspect of sustainable coastal area development is the type of
information (data) that is going to be used in the SDSS for the evaluation and
supervision of the procedure. The use of Indicators of Sustainable Development (ISDs)
primary focus and purpose is to facilitate decision making and should be considered as
H. Coccossis and K. Dimitriou
general objectives and policies to achieve sustainable development, and then their
elaboration into area-specific management actions for land and sea uses, mobilizing
various policy instruments, procedures and controls, legal institutional and financial
requirements etc. (OECD, 1993).
During the implementation phase the long-term management strategy is
transformed into specific actions and projects which are supplemented by monitoring
and a continuous information feedback. Several tools can be used for the sustainable
multi-sectoral management of coastal activities. Regulatory instruments include landuse planning, building regulations, licensing activities based on environmental impact
statements, construction guidelines for the coastline, conservation regulations, etc.
At this phase the use of DSS could be proved essential in Integrated Coastal
Area Management. Although a vital aspect of any information system for effective
management is clarity and simplicity, the complex patterns of interactions between
natural and human ecosystems occurring in coastal areas, require complex and
integrated approaches (Coccossis, 1985).
The differentiation and diversification in the scales of the complex patterns of
interactions in both time and space make the use of GIS ideal for coastal management
purposes. The ability of GIS to store, handle and analyze spatial data (geographical
and attribute) together with their real time performance boosts the decision making
process. The linkage, combination, intersection etc of various layers for the extraction
of the objective in parallel with the built-in capability of algebraic operations makes
GISs a necessary tool for the direct evaluation of the management process.
It is generally regarded that the idea of Decision Support Systems started with
the work of Gorry and Scott-Morton (1971). Nowadays it is accepted that these systems
focus on decisions and on supporting rather than replacing the decision-maker.
Decision theory focuses on finding the best solution to any problem. Orthodox DSS use
the so-called constrained optimization and are firmly established on a single criterion
approach. The ICAM process implies conflicting interests and presents
multidimensional characteristics where a single criterion is not sufficient and multiple
criteria are needed. Multicriteria evaluation methods are powerful tools in conflict
management and could be embodied to DSSs. The aim is the development of a DSS
capable of handling multiple criteria.
As there is a multitude of interests and management objectives, a coastal GIS
should reflect to the extent possible such concerns in order to link cross-impacts.
Although some interactions are measurable and therefore quantifiable a number of
linkages and phenomena can only be expressed in a qualitative manner. This fact
generates the necessity to embody a multiobjective DSS to the GIS (Despotakis, 1991).
The variety of decision making situations especially where spatial information is of
crucial importance generate the so called Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSSs)
which are an important subset of DSS.
A crucial aspect of sustainable coastal area development is the type of
information (data) that is going to be used in the SDSS for the evaluation and
supervision of the procedure. The use of Indicators of Sustainable Development (ISDs)
primary focus and purpose is to facilitate decision making and should be considered as