Threat Prioritization and Causality Relations for Sustainable Water Management under the Circular Economy Principles: Case Study in Laspias River, Greece Using eDPSIR and DEMATEL

Abstract

The Circular Economy set a frame to govern sustainable growth. Laspias river basin (Thrace) is characterized by various land and water uses and pressures posed directly and/or indirectly on the riverine system which acts as a burdened receptor. The aim is to prioritize threats in the basin and to further recognize the causality relationships in main elements affecting water management parameters that fall upon circular economy using enhanced DPSIR, Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) techniques. To assess the status quo, circular economy principles were adopted using a sustainable water management perspective embedded in DPSIR to link the causes and effects components. The key criteria based on the cause-factors were mined simplifying the multicriteria analysis of the effects. Findings highlight the multiplicity of pressures and origin of the impacts. This method proved as a valuable tool to track threats prior to stakeholder mapping for participatory management.