Policy recommendations & decision support
Coastal zone management implies decision making, which has to be based on sound analysis and on tools which prepare and support decision making process, depicting implications, impacts and future developments connected to the alternatives or options under decision. Specific support tools can be useful to manage decision making in coastal zone processes, as they can help making decision making processes more transparent, consistent and more successful in realization because based on consensual decisions.

The range of support tools for decision making reaches from studies and reports which analyze and bring together the comprehensive information relevant for the decision to be taken, passing for organizational assets and framework in support to stakeholder participation processes up to complex computer-based decision support tools (DSS)

Risk assessment
Studies for Impact identification and assessment, as well as proposing remedial measures, are useful only when they find an entry point into policy making: risk assessment analysis can provide such an entry point. Risk assessment as a final step in a comprehensive framework of analysis and evaluation provides a useful way to integrate impact networks and their economic costs, with the ultimate aim of devising the best response to identified negative environmental and socioeconomic impacts.
The purpose of risk assessment is to identify the actual or potential failure modes and factors, i.e. unwanted consequences in proposed policies or current management practices.
Instruments for risk assessment include:
- stakeholder participation
- prediction methods
- modelling and scenario building

Decision Support Tools (DSS)
Often the results of the process of analysis and valuation depict contrasting interests of different groups of stakeholders. Computer based DSS tools can help to structure problems and make the decision process transparent and informed – including complex simulation models and modeling systems. DSS tools often are constructed for ad-hoc problems, or oriented to specific hydrodynamic problems, whereas only few tools aim at an integration of social, economic and environmental aspects.
Useful Decision Support Tools provide transparent procedures and comprehensive an simple representation of results (for instance integrating schematic or GIS based presentations).

Thematic Network Conference
12th – 13th  March  2007. Venice, Italy

The Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM) and the Consortium for Coordination of Research Activities Concerning the Venice Lagoon System (CORILA), are organizing a conference on socio economic impacts on coastal zones and their evaluation in a context of integrated coastal zone management.
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