Sustainability indicators: Assessment of the Coastal Environmental Pressure Index (IPAC) in the mangrove ecosystem of the Guadalupe-Sirinhaém Environmental Protection Area (PE) and the coastal vegetation of Carneiros and Tamandaré beaches (PE)

Abstract

The Guadalupe Environmental Protection Area (APA), located on the southern coast of Pernambuco, Brazil, between the municipalities of Sirinhaém and Tamandaré, encompasses strategic coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, restingas, and beaches, which are increasingly subjected to anthropogenic pressures. This study aimed to apply the Coastal Environmental Pressure Index (IPAC) as an analytical tool for integrated environmental impact assessment, grounded in the theoretical framework of the Pressure–State–Impact–Response (PSIR) approach. The index was structured into four analytical axes: biodiversity, solid waste, coastal modification, and land use and occupation, with a total score ranging from 0 to 12. Methodological procedures included direct field observation, georeferenced photographic records, and the application of environmental checklists across selected sites within the APA of Guadalupe, Carneiros Beach, and Tamandaré Beach. The results revealed low to moderate environmental pressure in mangrove areas and high pressure in beach environments, particularly in Tamandaré, associated with intensified tourism, solid waste accumulation, and disordered coastal occupation. The IPAC proved to be both theoretically consistent and operationally effective, supporting coastal environmental diagnostics and integrated management strategies.