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EEA core set of indicatorsEEA core set of indicators

Anita Pirc VelkavrhWorkshop on the Use of Environmental indicators

July 5-6, 2004, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

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Why do we need international indicators? Why do we need international indicators?

• Data always come from countries• What they are used for? Country purposes

• Develop and monitor country policies• Support public administration• Support business decisions• Enhance Citizens awareness

International purposes (comparable statistics)• Country performance against comparators• Ensure and enhance economic competitiveness• Monitor social, economic and environmental development• Improve national participation in international decision

making and resource allocation

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Role of indicatorRole of indicatorIndicator – data• High level measures perceived to be

related to some aspects of environmental well being:they point at problem, but also wider picture is needed

• Conventions, policies set goals for well being:

- monitor – report (role in policy cycle)

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Policy Evaluation

Policy Preparation

Policy Formulation

Policy Execution

Indicators

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Policy question – indicator rationale-Policy question – indicator rationale-assessment-key message,assessment-key message,

• Countries data are used to support this chain• Indicators should be relevant and detect

changes and developments toward targets• Collection of data should be justified with

useful outputs• Indicators bring together policy-environment-

science

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Policy model for EEA CSIPolicy model for EEA CSI

• Relevant set of useful indicators is based on balanced policy priorities - scientific capacities - country capacities

• EEA convened 2 years of balancing process together with countries and managed to get endorsement of EEA Management board (31 countries, DG Environment, Parliament) for 37 indicators in March 2004

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CSI = EU policy relevantCSI = EU policy relevantbut not only…but not only…

• Endorsed by more that EU 25:• 3 EFTA countries • 3 candidate countries (Bulgaria, Romania,

Turkey) • Supported for implementation in 5 Balkan

countries, Switzerland, Monaco• Used in EEA reporting broader than EU

reports – support to Belgrade report

and …and …

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already now 17 CSI substantialy uses already now 17 CSI substantialy uses international data sourcesinternational data sources

• UNECE/CLRTAP/EMEP• UNFCCC• Vienna convention on protection of ozon layer -

Montreal protocol• Bern convention• World meteorological office• HELCOM convention(Baltic sea)• Black Sea convention• ICES (International Council for exploation of Seas)• FAO

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The purpose of EEAThe purpose of EEACore Set of Indicators (CSI)Core Set of Indicators (CSI)

• to provide a stable and manageable basis for indicator reporting by EEA

• to prioritise improvements in data quality from countries to European level

• to streamline contributions to other indicator initiatives

• in doing so, to strengthen environmental dimension alongside economic and social dimensions

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1st phase July 2002:

400 indicators relevant to policy objectives and distributed across DPSIR

2nd phase. May 2003:

350 indicators relevant to policy objectives and distributed across DPSIR

3rd phase. February 2004:

37 indicators relevant to policy targets and data availability

The history of theThe history of theCore set of indicatorsCore set of indicators

Wide consultation with EIONET communityLess engagement by policy community

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Getting from 350 to 37Getting from 350 to 37The criteriaThe criteria

Core indicator should:• be policy relevant - support EU policies’ priority

issues of increasing policy relevance (on the basic of available EU policy documentation, DG environment work programme..)

• monitor progress toward the quantified targets (if there is no targets, then use thresholds)

• be based on ready available and routinely collected data for EEA countries within specified timescale at reasonable cost-benefit ratio

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Getting from 350 to 37Getting from 350 to 37The criteriaThe criteria

• be consistent in space coverage and cover all or most of EEA countries

• have sufficient time coverage – (exemptions of general nature to be verified – e.g. situation of candidate countries)

• be primarily national in scale and representative for countries (countries benchmarking)

• be understandable and simple• be conceptually and methodologically well founded

and representative (to be used by at least one community or international organization) and on the bases of well established consultation with countries

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Getting from 350 to 37Getting from 350 to 37The criteriaThe criteria

• be of priority in EEA management plan• be timely (be produced in reasonable and “useful”

time) • be well documented and of known quality

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Number of indicators per Number of indicators per topictopic

• Air quality (5)• Ozone depletion (1)• Climate change (4)• Biodiversity (3)• Terrestrial (2)• Water (7)• Waste (2)

• Agriculture (2)• Energy (5)• Fisheries (3)• Transport (3)

Total: 37

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The future evaluation of the The future evaluation of the Core set of indicatorsCore set of indicators

• CSI will be stable not static - 1st review scheduled June 2005

• MS demands for more indicators on topics like noise, chemicals, health

• MS demands for better indicators for example on biodiversity and water

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Climate change indicatorsClimate change indicators

• Greenhouse gas emissions and removals

• Projection of greenhouse gas emissions and removals and policies and measures

• Global and European temperature

• Atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations

Reporting obligation in ROD (Reporting Obligation Database)Greenhouse gas emissions and removals

The Central Data Repository (CDR) contains country deliveriesGreenhouse gas emissions and removals

Example of the compiled data from the countries in the data set in the Data service

Greenhouse gas emissions and removals

EEA DATA SERVICE: Storage of the data needed for the indicator

Greenhouse gas emissions and removals

Emissions of the six greenhouse gases fell by 2% between 1990 and 1998. However, they are projected to fall by only 1% by 2010 (compared to 1990 levels), with carbon dioxide emissions increasing by 3% to 4%, methane emissions decreasing by 30%, and nitrous oxide emissions decreasing by 16%. Fluorinated gas emissions are projected to increase by 60% to 70% (compared to 1995

Distance to target

Greenhouse gas emissions and removals

Countries benchmarking