The model allows simulation of the current situation as well as scenario projections and possible policy solutions identified through a participatory process with stakeholders from all involved sectors. Model output is presented as impacts on multiple Key Performance Indicators of sustainability, including environmental, social, and economic aspects. Through these simulations, the model aims to support integrated planning and better-informed decision-making.
The structure of the System Dynamics model was co-developed through a series of consecutive workshops with representatives from all sectors, which fostered shared learning and validation throughout the development process. Throughout the participatory process, which also included expert interviews and questionnaires between 2018 and 2022, representatives from all sectors identified the main interactions between sectors and developed a vision for the area that could help stir the SW Messinia into a sustainable and resilient pathway, which would include:
- The adoption of integrated farming practices
- The restoration and enhancement of wetland ecosystem services in the Gialova Lagoon wetland
- The promotion of thematic tourism as a sustainable alternative to beach tourism.