1. 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

2. 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
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3. 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.
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4. Major building blocks of the AoA exercise
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5. 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
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6. Overview of the conceptual framework’s elements and tools
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7. 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.
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8. 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 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
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.
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9. 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.
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10. Tools for the implementation of the AoA
Overview of the selection protocol (tool 2)
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11. 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.
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12. 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).
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13. 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
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14. 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.
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15. 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