DevelopmentObservatory

1. DevelopmentObservatory University of Costa Rica Dr. Edgar E. Gutierrez-Espeleta

2. 10 years of experience in the systematization of indicators for the sustainability of development: Costa Rica Prof. Edgar E. Gutiérrez-Espeleta, Ph. D. egutierr@cariari.ucr.ac.cr

3. society nature what to measure 1993 • A group is formed at the University of Costa Rica in order to measure the sustainability of the agriculture and natural resource sectors in Latin America and the Caribbean (gtz/IICA). • Conceptual axes: • Productivity • Equity • Resilience • Stability

4. 1994 • The National Commission for Environmental Statistics is created (inter-institutional): CONEA • In 1996 the first national workshop on Environmental Statistics was held

5. 1994 • Establishment of the team that set forth the State of the Nation in Sustainable Human Development Project—sponsored by UNDP, the National Council of Presidents of Public Universities and the Ombudsman’s Office • The first report is published in 1995, and since then, annually • The conceptual framework focuses on five components: • Equity and social integration • Opportunities, stability and economic solvency • Harmony with nature • Strengthening of democracy and good governance • Primary relationships, social relationships and values

6. 1997 Building upon the CONEA initiative, the National Planning Ministry offers to institutionalize this commission within the National System for Sustainable Development The Technical Advisory Commission for the coordination and generation of information for sustainable development is thus created (INFODES) It ceases to function in 1998 due to lack of funding ( = political backing)

7. 1997 The National Council for Sustainable Development was not able to operate, and therefore, there hasn’t been a conceptual framework for sustainable development in Costa Rica, yet Under this situation, it is proposed to establish a program for democratizing the access to information on national development

8. Creation of the Development Observatory at the University of Costa Rica, with support from Capacity 21/ UNDP and the Legislative Assembly 1997 It currently has four programs: a) Quality of life b) Environment and development c) Software and methodology development d) Sustainable development network

9. CD ROM

17. To the clipboard Combine variables Re-initiate cycle Start from the beginning

22. 2001 UNCSD: testing of 57 proposed indicators With the support from UNDESA

24. Each indicator presents: • Definition • Unit of measurement • Purpose and pertinence • Comment • Table with data and annual variation • And graphical exhibit

25. Environmental

26. Economic

27. Institutional

28. Social

29. These indicators have been introduced in the data base and will be presented as part of the TDC(CD ROM & Web site)

30. 2001 I National Workshop of Environmental Experts, October 2001 - GEO-Costa Rica project Among other things: Define a minimum set of environmental variables in order to initiate the National System of Environmental Information

32. Work on environmental statistics produced under UNEP GEO project GEO “Environmental statistics on Latin America and the Caribbean” Printed publication with some 180 statistics and indicators on environmental resources and socioeconomic factors. The data are presented in quinquennial historical series from 1970 to 1995, and annually from that year to the year 2000.

33. Development of UNEP regional data base Regional and UN sources have been used Sources are specialized in the matter (for instance, although FAO publishes population data, this organization is used as reference only on statistics on agriculture, forests and fisheries) Sometimes, even though there is information, access to it is restricted. Decision has been made to change regional sources for global ones, for which access is less restricted

34. Issues and sources 

35. GEO CD-ROM “Statistics and documentation on the environment“ UNEP A compendium of more than 200 statistics and indicators on environmental resources and socioeconomic factors, with their definition, references and graphs, updated and presented in quinquennial historical series from 1970 to 1990, and annually from 1990 to 2002. This information is compiled by countries and is aggregated by sub regions.

37. 2001 • XIII Latin American and the Caribbean Forum ofEnvironmental Ministers, Rio de Janeiro, October 2001 • Decision 6: Environmental indicators • Among other things: • Designate country focal points in order to produce a work plan for Sustainable Development indicators for the 2002-2005 period • Hold a workshop on this matter no later than November 2001 • Hold an expert workshop in March 2002 with support from the Forum’s Interagency Technical Committee

38. Decision 8: Working groups and coordinating countries A new working group is established, coordinated by Costa Rica, on the issue of environmental indicators (Decision 6) Coordination is under way with the Secretariat of the Interagency Technical Committee in order to constitute and initiate the group’s work A meeting of the working group is being planned to be held beginning June 2003

39. What’s been done so far?

42. Costa Rica and UNEP main goal Develop an environmental data hub

43. DevelopmentObservatory www.odd.ucr.ac.cr University of Costa Rica