1. Current work & orientations of 2004 work programme of the EEA
Jean-Louis Weber
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

2. EEA Corporate Strategy 2004-2008: Priorities based on the 6th EAP
1. Strategic approaches to providing an information system
2. Action on tackling climate change
3. Action on nature & biodiversity
4. Action on environment & health and quality of life
5. Action on sustainable use & management of natural resources and wastes
6. Action on international issues
7. Crosscutting policy assessment
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

3. Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Main focus
Communication
Development of capacities for integrated assessments
Longer time horizon, scenarios
Integrated spatial assessment
Integration of SD perspective
Streamlining data flows
A multi-purposes shared information system
Access to indicators and data
Data QI/QC
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

4. Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
1. Communication
Responsiveness to the policy agenda
Flexible reporting, better adapted to the needs of stakeholders and public
The website as main tool for dissemination
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

5. Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
SOER 2005
1core (summary) report (~100pp)
+ 8 ”sub-reports” on selected issues
European household consumption and the environment
Halting the loss of biodiversity
The sustainable use and management of natural resources
Policy integration
Climate change and sustainable energy
European environment outlook
Europe’s impact on the global environment
Environment and health
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

6. EEA Signals: Moving towards a modular information system
Update annually
One page only
Graphs, figures, tables
SIGNALS
4 pages
Stable background information
1 page
Translated into all languages
EEA Position statement
Data
Science
Opinion
Some of the key difficulties encountered while writing the snapshot signals this year were the need to provide background information (e.g. “how are particulates formed?”; “what are biofuels?”) but doing so interupted the flow of the argument and text; and although we wanted to provide an opinion it became clear that we needed to separate the opinion part from the concrete data and information. We also found that there were some components of the signal that needed to be made available,e.g for biofuels the cross links to energy and transport would be useful background but in a single integrated assessment there was no room to mention these.…
The modular approach has been proposed as both a solution to these sorts of issues, but also as a way of making our information work harder for us. We can write a single science sheet which will be valid background for several years, while updating a one page data sheet can be done annually.
This allows both flexibility in translation ensuring that our messages reach maximim audiences, but also it enables us to mix and match modules to provide the background information needed for any topic.
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

7. Communication from Data up to Reports
SOER 2005
Summary
SOER 2005 sub reports on 6-9 overarching themes
Web
Environmental Signals Snapshots
Environmental Issue Reports
Sector Reports
Other EEA reports
EEA indicators and data service
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DATA PROVIDERS
REPORTNET tools
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

8. 2. Development of capacities for integrated assessments
Longer time horizon, scenarios
Prelude
Integrated spatial assessment
GMES, INSPIRE, CLC2000, Land Accounts
Integration of SD perspective
GEAR-SD, Environmental Accounting
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

9. Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Objectives of PRELUDE
The objectives of the PRELUDE project are …
to develop and analyse a set of scenarios that provide insight in the environmental impacts of land use change in a spatially explicit way.
to allow evaluate the added value of analysing combined qualitative-quantitative scenarios and involving stakeholders in EEA reporting.
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

10. Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
PRELUDE Approach
High intensity use Intermediate intensity use Low intensity use
Current Situation
Scenarios
(1) How much?
(2) Where?
(3) Env. Impacts?
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

11. Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
INSPIRE & GMES
INSPIRE: towards an infrastructure for geographical information in Europe
GMES: global monitoring for environment and security
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

12. Example of CLC2000 products (1)
Area of Berlin
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

13. Example of CLC2000 products (2)
Land cover
changes
Area of Berlin
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

14. Expected status of CLC2000 end 2003
Source: ETC/TE
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

15. Use and dissemination of products
IMAGE2000/CLC2000 products easily accessible to all users
Dissemination by Countries, EEA and Commission services
Available at marginal costs for non-commercial use
Commercial users through national network
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

16. Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Land Cover Accounts
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

17. Sustainable Development at the EEA: GEAR-SD
Environment
Economy
Social
GEAR-SD
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

18. Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Guidelines for environmental assessment and reporting in the context of SD (GEAR-SD)
GEAR-SD is not a set of indicators, although sets of indicators are part of the system
It is framework for assessing sustainable development and environment issues as well as communicating about them.
The ambition is to organise information in a way that facilitates the benchmarking of performances and projects at the various levels of policy making against the overall European perspective.
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

19. The GEAR-SD check-list: 8 key questions
Inter-generational equity: provide future generations the same environmental potential as the current one
Decoupling: economic growth to be less natural resource intensive and less polluting
Sector integration: better integration of sectoral and environmental policies
Adaptability: maintain and enhance the adaptive capacity of the environmental system
Avoid irreversible damage: avoid irreversible and long term environmental damage to ecosystems and human health
Distributional equity: avoid imposing unfair or high environmental burden on vulnerable population categories
Global responsibility: assume responsibility for the environmental effects outside the EU geographic area
SD governance: rules, processes and practices at all levels of governance
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

20. 3. Streamlining data flows
A multi-purposes shared information system
Access to indicators and data
Data QI/QC
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

21. THE EEA CORE SET OF INDICATORS
WEB publishing
Signals
Other
EEA reports
EEA CORE SET
EEA CORE SET
WTR
ACC TE
NPB
WMF
Trans
Energy
Agri
Tour
Operational indicators = Short term priority
Operational indicators = Short term priority
Background Indicators
Background Indicators
WTR
ACC TE
NPB
WMF
Trans
Energy
Agri
Tour
Eurostat
REPORTNET
REPORTNET
Data Sets
Data Sets
INSPIRE / GMES - -
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

22. Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Reportnet – contributing to a shared European Environment Information System
policy relevant
assessments
transparent
information
management
Common validation
and aggregation
harmonised
collection
This slide shows the principles of the Reportnet system, which EEA develops together with its EIONET network partners. These principles are shared with other partners in the field of environmental reporting and policy making.
The process for this - which is under development - is the shared European Environment Information System (EEIS)
The principles are applied in development of tools within functional areas. These are displayed on the next slide.
provide once
use many
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

23. Reportnet – EEAs framework for Environmental data exchange
DG Environment‘s initiative on review of reporting is supported by streamlining data flows
Functions are underpinned by several IT tools in the 8 functional areas
Content is built along EEA‘s priority data flow areas. These will be extended based on the outcome of the core set of indicator discussion
This slides show the functions supported by the IT tools. Most of the tools are operational and increasingly used by the member countries.
A grey arrow is been used to show a typical dataflow:
A reporting obligation defines the input to the system
A data dictionary describes all the necessary data elements and their definitions
The data exchange modules facilitate the electronic exchange and validation of the national deliveries, (HARMONISED COLLECTION)
These are provided ONCE to a national repository where other clients can pick them up (MANY USERS)
The European datasets are provided through European repositories after COMMON VALIDATION AND AGGREGATION
Proper indicator management (selection, description, handling) assures POLICY RELEVANT ASSESSMENT
In addition to these main flow functions:
a network directory is needed to maintain all players and their roles
a meta data component (content registry) keeps the overview of what is flowing
Together with the other functions, these ensure TRANSPARENT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

24. Organisation of Data flows and QC/QI
Contribution of the EEA to Structural Indicators
GHGs & Air Quality
Contribution of the EEA to the Joint Questionnaire 2002 & 2004
Idem plus Water
Nature, Marine, Land
Waste and Material Flows
Common issues
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

25. Waste and material flows in 2004
Assistance to DG Env in development of Thematic Strategy on Waste Recycling
Evaluation of policy effectiveness (pilot on waste packaging directive)
Indicator development (incl. indicators of policy effectiveness and decoupling)
Development of scenarios and outlooks
State and Outlook Report 2005
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

26. Waste and material flows in 2004
Assistance to Eurostat in pilot studies on Waste Statistics regulation (eg. evaluation of pilot studies, participation in development of handbook on waste statistics, methodology for data collection etc…)
Specific waste stream analysis (End of Life Vehicles and Sewage Sludge)
Discussion with countries about their needs for assistance and streamlining of reporting
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

27. Waste and material flows in 2004
Description / quantification of flows of materials through the economy using MFA (eg. Zero study portraying the use of resources in the EU, as assistance to DG Env in TS on Sustainable Use of Resources)
Analysis of link between resource use and material flows (including waste) and environmental impacts.
Development of methodology for prioritisation of resource streams (for DG Env)
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

28. Waste and material flows in 2004
Development of EEA strategy for further work on MFA and management of resources
EEA proposals to Eurostat:
Workshop on MFA for the national statistical offices
Inter-service MFA Information Clearinghouse (concept paper under preparation, to be discussed with Eurostat and DG Env)
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003

29. Common issues on data flows
QC/QI: need to keep the track of statistical processing of monitoring data
Shared information system as basic tool, incl. for filling in the Joint Questionnaire
Needs of improved cooperation at the international level as well as between EIONET and the National Statistical Institutes
Working Group on “Environment Statistics”,
Eurostat, September 2003