1. Streamlining of European environmental indicators
Indicator Clearing House
Agenda item 5
Workshop with indicator owners and users
Luxembourg February 2011
Task II: Practical implementation of streamlining of European environmental indicators
Document drafted by Catherine Kesy (KRD)

2. Task III: Preparation of ‘Indicator Clearing House’ web-site 
Task I: Preparation for streamlining of European environmental indicators
Task II: Practical implementation of streamlining of European environmental indicators
Task III: Preparation of ‘Indicator Clearing House’ web-site  2

3. 144 Factsheets listing High potentials,
Task II: Practical implementation of streamlining of European environmental indicators – July 2010 – February 2011
Main deliverable: Harmonised indicator set of environmental indicators through following core stages:
Inventory review,
144 Factsheets listing High potentials,
Detailed proposals for streamlining 144 indicators by cluster,
Harmonised list of X indicators. 3

4. Task II work plan:
II.1. Implementation plan for the establishment of a harmonised and integrated set of indicators (July 2010-April 2011),
II.2. Expert review of inventory and potential for streamlining of specific environmental indicators (focus on indicators of Eurostat, EEA, DG ENV and JRC) (July 2010-April 2011)
II.3. Review of environmental indicators from UN and OECD; proposal for inclusion of these indicators (July-December 2010)
II.4. Concrete proposals for streamlining of environmental indicators, cluster by cluster (August 2010-April 2011) 4

5. Task II work plan (continued):
II.5. Preparation of 2nd Interim report (Nov-Dec. 2010)
II.6. Presentation of implementation plan of harmonised indicator set to Eurostat (February 2011 and final version in April)
II.7. After approval by Eurostat, Workshop / 3rd progress meeting (2 days): discussion of implementation plan with indicator “owners” (22-23 February 2011)
II.8. Provision of briefing documents to be presented at the respective EEA and Eurostat Working Groups (July 2010-February 2011) [ck1] 5

6. II.1. Implementation plan for the establishment of a harmonised and integrated set of indicators (July 2010-April 2011
1st draft: September 2010
2nd draft December 2010
3rd draft February 2011 submitted for comments before finalisation and approval in March/April 6

7. (a) Inventory review - 3 stages:
II.2. Expert review of inventory (a), and potential for streamlining of specific environmental indicators (b), with focus on indicators of Eurostat, EEA, DG ENV and JRC (July 2010-April 2011)
(a) Inventory review - 3 stages:
Inventory sent for approval by Go4 Oct. 2010,
Inventory revised following comments received from Go4 and new proposals by contractor, sent back for validation November 2010,
Final inventory December 2010: 144 indicators. 7

8. Principles:
Indicators kept or deleted under Phase I remain in the same status,
New indicators are examined one by one: domains non purely environmentally-relevant are deleted,
Indicators with old assessments are not kept (but put back CSI025 and CSI 026 because CSI set is highly relevant?). 8

9. Inventory before approval by Go4:
(“List for approval Oct 10” in Excel)
Initiatives considered for FS and Potentials: CSI, SDI, SEBI, SI, TERM (151 indicators)
Initiatives for ICH (117 indicators under review or not valid): 28 AEI, 35 EERM EN, (54 EPIs not valid so not mentioned),
Initiatives for ICH: UN (ISD) and OECD (KEI and CEI) (77 indicators). 9

10. (“List for approval Oct 10” in Excel)
Inventory sent for approval to Go4:
(“List for approval Oct 10” in Excel)
Allocation of each indicator to a contact person,
Addition of hyperlinks to Eurobase table or Assessment to help contact person find their way in the indicator jungle. 10

11. Inventory sent back for validation:
(“List for validation Nov 10” in Excel)
-Delete (too old, not available, was replaced):
Gross nutrient balance (2005) CSI 025 (put all CSI back ?)
Area under organic farming (2005) CSI 026(put all CSI back ?)
Passenger transport demand by mode and purpose (2006) ex-TERM 12 – now CSI 035
Freight transport demand by mode and group of goods (2006) ex-TERM 13 – now CSI 036
Uptake of cleaner /alter. fuels (2003) TERM 31 11

12. Institutional cooperation on transport and environment (2004) TERM 36
Integrated transport and environment strategies in the EU (2004) TERM 35
Institutional cooperation on transport and environment (2004) TERM 36
National transport and environment monitoring systems (2004) TERM 37
Uptake of strategic environmental assessment in the transport sector (2004) TERM 38
Estimated use of pesticides (Use of selected pesticides)SDI – tsdpc.. – not available 12

13. Inventory sent back for validation:
- Add (new assessments available):
Progress in management of contaminated sites (2007 ?) CSI 015
Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters (2009) CSI 023
Aquaculture production (2009)CSI 033
Average age of the vehicle fleet (2010)TERM 33 13

14. Inventory sent back for validation:
Do not add (not directly envtally-relevant):
Real change in transport price by mode (2010)TERM 20
Fuel prices (2010)TERM 21
External costs of transport (2010) TERM 25 14

15. Inventory sent back for validation:
Also delete (suggested by contractor) to be consistent with the above:
Investment in transport infrastructure by mode SDI-tsdtr260 – (also not available)
Price indices for transport SDI-tsdtr310 15

16. Inventory sent back for validation:
Because of their envtl relevance, Taxation indicators have been kept under Phase II (they were also included under Phase I):
Implicit tax rate on energy SDI-tsdcc360SI and tsien040
Shares of environmental and labour taxes in total tax revenues SDI-tsdgo410
Transport charges and taxes TERM 22 16

17. Inventory sent back for validation:
Do not add on ICH (not relevant UN and OECD indicators):
Road infrastructure densities CEI 28-CSE
Ratio of local residents to tourists in major tourist regions and destinations ISD 09
Percentage of population living in hazard prone areas, by type of natural hazard ISD 10
Economic and Human Loss Due to Natural Disasters, as % of population and of GDP ISD 11
Land affected by desertification ISD 18 17

18. (“Approved list Dec 2010” in Excel)
Inventory validated:
(“Approved list Dec 2010” in Excel)
144 indicators split into:
48 clusters from Phase I
1 new cluster with new indicators from Phase II inventory not yet allocated to any cluster
See “Phase I clusters” in Excel 18

19. 19

20. (b)Review of potentials – 2 activities:
II.2. Expert review of inventory (a), and potential for streamlining of specific environmental indicators (b), with focus on indicators of Eurostat, EEA, DG ENV and JRC (July 2010-April 2011)
(b)Review of potentials – 2 activities:
Extension of factsheet production from 39 (June 2010) to 144 indicators (February 2011), including list of High potentials for each indicator,
Production of Word documents by cluster (or domain, e.g. Transport) making more detailed streamlining proposals, for 144 indicators. 20

21. Inclusion of additional experts to cover all indicator domains,
Briefing of these experts via 2 methodological documents:
Factsheet Template_with correspondence with ESMS and QP (Circa)
Guidelines for factsheets and potentials (Circa) 21

22. Factsheets: main pending aspects:
2. Contact, including copyrights,
7. International data providers and data sources,
10. Data quality
17. Related indicators 22

23. Exists both individual contact persons by facsheet and by domain
Pending aspects:
2.2. Contact information (Eurostat indicators)
Exists both individual contact persons by facsheet and by domain
Data: Annamaria Szirony
Policy Context: ex-Julie Hass/Cristina Popescu ?
Put Annamaria Szirony only ?
Data management by EEA: so should they be the « contact person » ?
Keep contact person with indicator owner
Have 1 person responsible only if possible 23

24. Assessment/Indicator specification: Contact person: François Dejean
Pending aspects:
2.2. Contact information (EEA indicators)
Exists both individual contact persons for facsheets and for each domain:
Assessment/Indicator specification: Contact person: François Dejean 24

25. Information received : Domain - EEA contact persons
Agriculture: Ivone Pereira Martins,
Air, climate: Aphrodite Mourelatou, Andreas Barkman, Andre Jol
Energy: Peder Jensen
Land use, biodiversity, forestry:
Philippe Crouzet, (Land use)
Ivone Pereira Martins, (Biodiv)
Transport: Peder Jensen
Resource use, waste: Lars Mortensen
Water: Beate Werner,
Have 1 person responsible only 25

26. For Eurostat / EEA data: mention or leave empty ?
Pending aspects:
2.3. Copyrights
For Eurostat / EEA data: mention or leave empty ?
+ List other copyright holder(s) with link:
National emissions reported to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP Convention) : The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (Environment and Human Settlements Division)
National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive Inventory : Directorate-General for Environment 26

27. 7. International data providers and data sources 7.1. Data set 1:
Pending aspects:
7. International data providers and data sources
7.1. Data set 1:
Name of the organisation(s)
Contact person(s)
Name and link to the data sources
7.2. Data set 2:
7.X. Data set X: 27

28. SDI-tsdcc100 GHG emissions
7.1. Data set 1: GHG emissions
Name of the organisation(s) : ??
Contact person(s) : ??
Name and link to the data sources:
Eurostat table: Source:European Environment Agency, Eurostat (tsdcc100)
EEA data : The EEA greenhouse gas data viewer provides easy access and analysis of the data contained in the Annual European Union greenhouse gas inventory 1990 – 2008 and inventory report 2010.
Original data set(s): National emissions reported to the UNFCCC and to the EU GHG Monitoring Mechanism 28

29. Pending aspects: 10. Data quality:
EEA ratings do not match Eurostat rating used in QP – High or Restricted
Sometimes no information available 29

30. 17. Relations/links to other indicators
Pending aspects:
17. Relations/links to other indicators
17.1. Within the corresponding set (specify set, e.g. SEBI etc.)
17.2. Outside the corresponding set (specify set, e.g. SEBI etc.)
17.3. High potential for streamlining with (list indicators with their codes)  30

31. 17. Related indicators
Option 1.) the links relate to indicators from the same cluster as the cluster of the indicator concerned (e.g. all GHG emission indicators, i.e. excluding e.g. Modal split, GDP ?)
Option 2.) the links relate to any indicator which has “relations” with the indicator concerned from the same or any other cluster. (Then the next heading relates to High potentials from within the same cluster (17.3. High potential for streamlining with). 31

32. Other pending aspects:
Still some missing information in various headings, depending on the indicator, e.g.:
18. Institutional mandate :
18.2. Data sharing : no information available
No comments/proposals for revision received for many indicators (no reactions from contact persons or revisions expected to be done only after the workshop)
Specific problems will appear via presentations of results for 3 test clusters 32

33. II.2. Expert review of inventory (a) and potential for streamlining of specific environmental indicators (b) with focus on indicators of Eurostat, EEA, DG ENV and JRC (July 2010-April 2011)(continued)
Detailed streamlining potentials: Structure proposed during June meeting (GHG emiss.)
1.) Original list of indicators for Theme/Cluster X
2.) Proposal for a harmonised list of indicators for Theme/Cluster X
3.)   Sub-theme/cluster X.1: ….
4.)   Sub-theme/cluster X.2: …
5.)   Sub-theme/cluster X.x: …
6.) Sub-theme/cluster X.x: Other indicators 33

34. 1.) Original list of indicators for Theme/Cluster X
This section lists all indicators from the cluster/theme under consideration, whether streamlineable or not (i.e. including the “no potential” indicators), or whether streamlined or not (UN, OECD, AEI, EERM EN)
2.)   Proposal for a harmonised list of indicators for Theme/Cluster X
This section lists all indicators from the cluster/theme under consideration (same as above), after analysis of their potential, with possible reorganisation of clusters (e.g. addition of a new cluster, or renaming of existing cluster etc.) and with the possible new indicator names proposed 34

35. 3.) Sub-theme/cluster X.1: …. 4.) Sub-theme/cluster X.2: …
3.)   Sub-theme/cluster X.1: ….
4.)   Sub-theme/cluster X.2: …
5.)   Sub-theme/cluster X.x: …
6.) Sub-theme/cluster X.x: Other indicators
The above sections provide for the analysis of potentials by sub-theme/cluster inside the cluster concerned (e.g. GHG emissions may be split into 3 sub-domains: Trends and projections, Sectoral impacts, Other.)
At the end of each section, an overview of proposals made is given (Excel table or other). 35

36. Streamlining indicators means harmonising:
indicator definitions,
indicator names,
indicator “contents” (texts and data sets used). 36

37. Streamlining definitions:
Streamlining definitions: deciding upon which indicators to keep as such or to modify
May involve a restriction of the indicator definition or an extension of it, or splitting the indicator into several indicators, but keep the original purpose of the indicator (avoid “simplifying” rather than “harmonising”.
Create “umbrella” indicators with comprehensive definitions - including one or more “breakdowns” - alongside which indicators will be streamlined. 37

38. Streamlining names:
Correct/identical names, names need to match definition: “GHG emissions” is a bit too vague because it may mean trends, projections, intensities, etc.
Names should remain simple and easy to use,
Streamline alongside framework (domains, clusters, sub-clusters), using harmonised keywords (e.g. trends, intensities, per capita/inhabitant etc.)
If possible, use same “grammatical structure” throughout the set (e.g. XX emissions or Emissions of XX). 38

39. Streamlining names:
Use slightly different names (shorter or longer) depending on where/how the indicator is used:
(Sub-cluster 11.1:) Urban air quality
CSI 004 Exceedance of air quality limit values (in urban areas)
Avoid repetition of “urban” if not necessary 39

40. Streamlining contents:
Contents means both texts and data (trends and analysis) in the factsheets:
for the same indicator, same data and same text 40

41. Streamlining text: If information is missing:
Contractor made proposals based on other existing documents from same or similar indicators (partial streamlining of texts)
To make it clear for the (proof-)reader, each paragraph of the factsheets mentions the source document used (QP, SDMX, Assessment, Indicator specification etc..) with the corresponding links.
Get missing information from contact persons. 41

42. Streamlining data and trends/analyses:
No analysis of data because of resource shortage
Same basic data source / same basic data may result in different “manipulations” of data (different operational units of measure e.g. absolute, %, % change, per capita, per unit of GDP, per km2 etc.) so difficult to check coherence
Use of same extra-environmental data (land area, GDP, Population) was not guaranteed 42

43. Streamlining data and trends/analyses:
No analysis of data because the same indicators are not always updated at the same moment in time.
E.g: the assessment used for SDI was the one from the Monitoring report (bi-annual) which may differ from the analyses made in the corresponding indicators from CSI, TERM etc. and data from Eurobase tables if not published at the same time / with the same frequency. 43

44. Streamlining data and trends/analyses:
Though, the data sources/sets used for each indicator were checked and listed with relevant contact information where available, in Factsheets
Listing of various data sources in Excel file for each indicator (“Approved list details Dec 2010”) . 44

45. Streamlining data and trends/analyses :
Use of same extra-environmental data was recommended for all indicators :
GDP and main components - Volumes (nama_gdp_k): UNIT: Millions of euro, chain-linked volumes, reference year 2000 (at 2000 exchange rates), INDIC_NA: Gross domestic product at market prices
Population on 1 January by age and sex [demo_pjan] 45

46. Contact persons : M. Linster / E. Horvath
II.3. Review of environmental indicators from UN and OECD; proposal for inclusion of these indicators (July-December 2010)
Contact persons : M. Linster / E. Horvath
No indicator factsheets are developed,
No streamlining analysis is done,
They are mentioned as available indicators in the relevant clusters when doing the streamlining analyses.
They will also be included on the future ICH 46

47. All factsheets and potentials are available on Circa
II.4. Concrete proposals for streamlining of environmental indicators, cluster by cluster (August 2010-April 2011)
High potentials are listed in factsheets under heading 18. “Relations/links to other indicators” )
These proposals are then developped further in a separate, summary/overview document (see II.2.).
Finally, design of a harmonised set of indicators based on all proposals for streamlining (“Harmonised” list in Excel).
All factsheets and potentials are available on Circa
A presentation of 3 test clusters will follow 47

48. II.5. Preparation of 2nd Interim report (Nov.-Dec. 2010)
Period from June to December 2010 (available on Circa)
II.6. Presentation of implementation plan of harmonised indicator set to Eurostat (February 2011 and final version in April)
3 versions: September 2010, December 2010, February 2011 (available on Circa)
Draft harmonised list presented during the workshop 48

49. Finalisation of current – 3rd - plan by March/April 2011
II.7. After approval by Eurostat, Workshop / 3rd progress meeting (2 days): discussion of implementation plan with indicator “owners” (22-23 February 2011)
2nd revision round after workshop: nominate 1 or 2 responsible persons (1 Eurostat and/or 1 EEA ?) to coordinate revisions of facsheets, potentials and harmonised list after the workshop to take on board comments and decisions made
Finalisation of current – 3rd - plan by March/April 2011 49

50. Task II Briefing doc 1 - ENV_DIMESA_meeting 6-3_2010
II.8. Provision of briefing documents to be presented at the respective EEA and Eurostat Working Groups (July 2010-February 2011)
Task II Briefing doc 1 - ENV_DIMESA_meeting 6-3_2010
Task II Briefing doc 2 - FS - Template_with correspondence with ESMS and QP
Task II Briefing doc 3 - FS - Guidelines for factsheets and potentials
Task II Briefing doc 4 - FS - NY meeting 8-10
See on Circa 50

51. Thank You!