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Intersecretariat Working Group on Environment Statistics

Intersecretariat Working Group on Environment Statistics aims to strengthen environment data for sustainable development through enhanced cooperation and resources pooling. Activities include water statistics, environmental indicators streamlining, glossary development, and joint data collection efforts.

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Intersecretariat Working Group on Environment Statistics

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  1. Intersecretariat Working Group on Environment Statistics Presentation at the 2nd Meeting of the UN Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting New York, 5-6 July 2007

  2. Background • Established: December 2003 following the request of the Statistical Commission at its 34th session. • Objective: to firmly anchor environment statistics as part of official statistics by improving and strengthening basic environmental data, and thus to make an important contribution to the development of environmental indicators, indicators of sustainable development and integrated environmental and economic accounting. That is to be achieved by enhancing cooperation and by the pooling of knowledge bases and resources in the areas of methodological work, data collection and dissemination, training and capacity-building, and the organization of joint events. • Membership: the permanent members of the IWG-ENV are those organizations/agencies that have a well-established international programme on environment statistics, including direct and regular collection of comprehensive environment statistics from countries. Other organizations/agencies and countries with experience in specific areas of environment statistics are associated as required and invited on a subject matter basis. • Current Members: OECD, Eurostat, UNECE, UNEP, FAO, UNSD • Secretariat: UNSD

  3. Activities 2006-2007 • 1. Water Statistics • 2. Streamlining Environmental Indicators • 3. Glossary of Environment Statistics • 4. Core Set of Metadata • 5. Land Use/Land Cover Statistics • 6. Joint Data Collections • 7. Joint Training Activities

  4. Water Statistics • The Subgroup on Water Statistics (SWS) carried out a detailed comparison of classifications, terms and definitions used in the different water related international data collections. The point of reference for this work was the SEEAW. • The core set of variables recommended for the collection of water statistics (developed in the UNSD Manual of Water Statistics) will be discussed in the SWS with the objective to achieve agreement and map out responsibilities.

  5. 1. Water Statistics (continued) • The Manual of Water Statistics will be discussed at an EGM in December. The mandate of the SWS has been extended to 2008 to conclude its work on the harmonization of data collection activities including the necessary revisions of the questionnaires.

  6. 2. Streamlining Environmental Indicators • EC/Eurostat project, focusing on the EU level • IWG-ENV involved through the Steering Committee • UNSD/UNEP parallel initiative at global/regional level • Objective: to find common elements of the different indicator lists in use, harmonize methodology and streamline data flows behind the indicators.

  7. 3. Glossary of Environment Statistics • Started as a revision/update of the UNSD Glossary • New objective: “Inter-agency” glossary, compilation of all terms and definitions used in the international collection of environment statistics, analysis of differences, if possible, recommendations for harmonized terms/definitions or bridges between existing ones. • Status: four chapters ready for second round of discussion, six for first round of discussion.

  8. 4. Core Set of Metadata for Environment Statistics • Objective: to recommend a standard core set of metadata for the exchange and dissemination of environment statistics. • Status: first draft discussed at the 7th meeting of the IWG-ENV. Second draft will be circulated in September. Draft will be tested for water statistics by the SWS.

  9. 5. Land Use/Land Cover Statistics • Objective: harmonization of classifications used in land use and land cover statistics; develop core set of variables; compile best practices for data collection. • Method: establishment of subgroup on land use statistics with IOs and countries; organize international work session. • Project has been delayed because the lead agency, FAO, has had resource problems. Subgroup’s first meeting is planned for Spring 2008.

  10. 6. Joint Data Collection Activities • UNSD/UNEP 2006 • OECD/Eurostat 2006 • Joint collection UNSD/UNEP with UNECE/EEA in the EECCA and Balkan countries. Data used for Belgrade Report. • Joint OECD/UNSD data collection in China. • Agreement on joint data collection (UNSD/UNEP and OECD/Eurostat) in the MEDSTAT countries and possibly in the TACIS countries in 2008. • Next round of data collection in 2008.

  11. 7. Joint Training Activities • Latest: UNSD/UNEP/ECA Workshop on Environment Statistics 16-20 July Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with the participation of FAO and UNFCCC.

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