Europe’s Environment Assessment of Assessments EE-AoA 2011 Towards a Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Environment Guide for the Europe’s Environment Assessment of Assessments EE-AoA 2011 AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen

Background(objectives)of the AoA module Towards a Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Environment CONTENT OF THE GUIDE Background(objectives)of the AoA module The conceptual framework of the AoA module Tools for the implementation of the AoA module Supporting services & infrastructure AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 2

1) Background (objectives) of the AoA module Overall Contributing to the development of a Regular Assessment Process (RAP) of Europe’s environment Facilitating the establishment of a EU/EEA shared environmental information system (SEIS) Specific To identify and appraise existing assessments, analyses, and main relevant literature in the four areas of: ● Water resources ● Water management ● Green Economy and ● Resource efficiency To identify gaps in information, key indicators, major needs and emerging issues, and priorities. AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 3

Major building blocks of the AoA exercise AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 4

2) The conceptual framework of the AoA module Three guiding principles --------- and four elements Governance: institutional processes, networking, interaction, communication. Infrastructure & services: data management/sharing/exchange & other support services Content: national and local SOER & other relevant assessments. Refers to information, data, indicators, conceptual frameworks, modelling tools, etc. Analysis, synthesis and conclusions related to the four major areas of interest Coherence with similar experiences (marine AoA, SOER 2010 AoA) & contribution to ongoing processes (UNECE “Environment for Europe” (EfE), RAP) Efficiency in the multiple use of the information (SEIS and its guiding principles) Easy adaptability to diverse assessment exercises AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 5

Overview of the conceptual framework’s elements and tools AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 6

3) Tools for the implementation of the AoA module 1. Glossary Based on definitions agreed upon within the UN-led marine AoA; including new terms/concepts as needs arise (dynamic tool) 2. Protocol for assessments’ selection and prioritization Builds on the selection protocol developed within the SOER 2010 AoA exercise. 3a. General template for assessments’ screening Builds on the experience of the SOER 2010 AoA exercise and of the marine AoA. 3b. Topic (or cluster- or theme-)-specific templates To be developed (Group of Experts) 4. Reporting format for analysis, synthesis, conclusions Builds on the reporting format developed within the SOER 2010 AoA exercise. AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 7

Tools for the implementation of the AoA TOOL 1 - The glossary is intended as a common resource/reference for all the assessments exercises. A standardized terminology is necessary to achieving comparability and a common understanding. Example (extract from the preliminary version enclosed to the Guide): INSPIRE Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community, established by Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2007. INSPIRE aims at making available relevant, harmonised and quality geographic information to support formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and activities which have a direct or indirect impact on the environment. Source: EC INSPIRE Geoportal http://www.inspire-geoportal.eu/index.cfm Integrated Assessment Assessments that integrate across environmental, economic and social aspects, across industry sectors, and across ecosystem components (which may include land-based sources of inputs as well as land-based industries that depend on marine resources). Source: Marine AoA Legitimacy A measure of the acceptability or perceived fairness of an assessment. A legitimate assessment is one that has been conducted in a manner that allows users to be satisfied that their interests have been taken into account appropriately and that the process has been fair. AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 8

Tools for the implementation of the AoA TOOL 2 - The protocol for assessments’ selection and prioritization is structured around four main steps: ● Assessing the data requirement needs ● Sourcing the documents ● Mapping the assessments/literature (database) ● Selecting the assessments/literature for screening The use of the protocol implies reference to the concepts and terms included in the glossary. The protocol is enclosed to the Guide. AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 9

Tools for the implementation of the AoA Overview of the selection protocol (tool 2) AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 10

Tools for the implementation of the AoA TOOLS 3a and 3b - Once relevant assessments and literature have been identified they need to be reviewed in order to evaluate how they come to be considered ‘relevant’, ‘legitimate’ and ‘credible’. To this end, two types of templates are needed: ● A general template to gather information on ‘governance’, ‘infrastructure & services’ and ‘content’. ● Topic (or cluster- or theme-)-specific templates to gather information on ‘content’ according to the main four areas of interest. AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 11

Tools for the implementation of the AoA TOOL 3a - The general template (enclosed to the Guide) includes questions concerning: ● General information ● Governance (institutional arrangements, networking, scope, interaction, communication) ● Infrastructure & services ● Content (information, data & quality control, indicators and assessment tools, outputs). AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 12

Tools for the implementation of the AoA TOOL 3b - The specific templates are ‘check-lists’ where, building on the approach used in the marine AoA, questions are assessed against three levels: detailed coverage, general coverage, or not covered. Examples of specific templates are enclosed to the Guide. Specific templates need to be developed for each of the main four areas of interest or, at a more detailed level, for each of the topic covered under each area: ● Water resources ● Water resource management ● Green economy ● Resource efficiency AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 13

Tools for the implementation of the AoA TOOL 4 - Reporting format for analysis, synthesis and conclusions The evaluation/analysis phase highlights: ● Appraisal of existing assessments and main information sources ● Analysis of gaps in information ● Level of relevance, legitimacy and credibility of the assessment ● Other findings on the nature of the organizations undertaking the assessments, assessments’ geographical scope, capacity strengthening and needs. ● Synthesis of content ● Conclusions Reporting is facilitated by a standard reporting format tool, enclosed to the Guide. AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen 14

4) Supporting services & infrastructure All the tools outlined will be available via a dedicated portal. The portal will host: the glossary (dynamic tool) a consolidated version of the database of relevant assessments/literature the electronic versions of the templates (general and specific) and of the reporting format for analysis, synthesis and conclusions. Links to the data sources identified and the main data/indicators considered a ‘helpdesk’ providing support/coordination The portal is intended to contribute to the development of a shared environmental information system (SEIS) within the EU, the ENP and other pan-European regions. AoA Training Day – 28 May 2010, Copenaghen