GECAS: A Modular, Non-Compensatory Alphanumeric Framework for Geosite and Geomorphosite Evaluation and Classification

Geoheritage assessment supports inventory design, geoconservation, geoeducation, public interpretation, and geotourism, yet many methods still merge intrinsic site significance with present-day conditions of access, interpretation, and management. This paper introduces the Geoheritage Evaluation and Classification Alphanumeric System (GECAS), a modular, non-compensatory framework for classifying geosites and geomorphosites through autonomous profiles rather than through a single total score. The revised framework distinguishes a minimum deployable core from standard and full applications, separates descriptive metadata from evaluative axes, and produces purpose-specific outputs for scientific significance, geoeducational suitability, public-facing visit readiness, geotourism use potential, and conservation priority. GECAS also formalises evidence quality, expert- and user-derived channels, degradation-risk gates, and the Geo-Pass communication profile. A structured comparison with established assessment approaches, a step-by-step workflow, time–effort guidance, and a secondary-data demonstrator is provided. The framework is proposed as a scalable methodological grammar that improves transparency, avoids hidden compensation among non-equivalent criteria, and supports future calibration through field trials, inter-rater testing, and comparative applications.