EEA core set of indicators

1. EEA core set of indicators Anita Pirc Velkavrh Workshop on the Use of Environmental indicators July 5-6, 2004, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

2. 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

3. Role of indicator Indicator – 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)

4. Policy Preparation Indicators Policy Evaluation Policy Formulation Policy Execution

5. Policy question – indicator rationale-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

6. Policy 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

7. CSI = EU policy relevantbut 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 …

8. already now 17 CSI substantialy uses international 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

9. The purpose of EEACore 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

10. The history of theCore set of indicators Wide consultation with EIONET community Less engagement by policy community

11. Getting from 350 to 37The 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

12. Getting from 350 to 37The 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

13. Getting from 350 to 37The criteria • be of priority in EEA management plan • be timely(be produced in reasonable and “useful” time) • be well documented and of known quality

14. 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 Number of indicators per topic

15. The future evaluation of the Core 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

16. Climate 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

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

18. Greenhouse gas emissions and removals The Central Data Repository (CDR) contains country deliveries

19. Greenhouse gas emissions and removals Example of the compiled data from the countries in the data set in the Data service

20. Greenhouse gas emissions and removals EEA DATA SERVICE: Storage of the data needed for the indicator

21. 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

22. Countries benchmarking