THE USE OF GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION-SYSTEMS FOR CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL-EFFECTS ASSESSMENT

In recognition of the need to develop approaches to environmental impa ct assessment that are both proactive and which take a wider view of e nvironmental change and its causes, there has been increasing interest in the concept of cumulative environmental change and its assessment. We outline a definition and conceptual framework for the analysis of cumulative environmental change. The contribution of geographical info rmation systems (GIS) to the assessment of cumulative effects is consi dered. The potential is then illustrated by reference to an example of the use of GIS in respect of cumulative effects assessment for a smal l area of New Zealand. The attendant problems of using GIS in this con text are identified and discussed.