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Environmental Trends

Environmental Trends. What is an Indicator?.

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Environmental Trends

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  1. Environmental Trends

  2. What is an Indicator? • Indicator: A parameter, or a value derived from parameters, which points to, provides information about, describes the state of a phenomenon/environment/area, with a significance extending beyond that directly associated with a parameter value (OECD 2001, 133).

  3. Uses of Indicators • Provide a snapshot of conditions at a given time • Reveal trends over time. • historical trends • predict future trends • Measure performance by gauging progress towards a benchmark or target • Derived indices can also help prevent overwhelming the target audience with too much detailed or complex information • Used to compare performance of organizations or countries

  4. Limits of Indicators • Scale/Time Issues • Problems with aggregation • Representative • Changes in Scientific Understanding (Lead) • Cost of Developing (Exposure) • Politically Driven (GHG Intensity?) • Reflect regulatory structure they are developed in (water/air quality)

  5. DPSIR Framework • Driving force • Underlying pressures related to socioeconomic and political agents of change, • Population growth, GDP, and consumption. • Pressure • Variables that directly affect the quality and quantity of environmental goods and services, • Toxic emissions, pesticide applications, harvesting rates of fish or timber, and generation of municipal waste.

  6. DPSIR Framework • State • Biological, chemical, and physical state or condition (quantity or quality) of an environmental media, ecosystem, or component at a given point in time, or as a trend over time. • Distribution of forest cover, ambient levels of ground level ozone, number and diversity of species.

  7. DPSIR Framework • Impact • Direct effects of environmental pressures on humans, economies,and ecosystems • Percentage of beaches affected by advisories or closings, concentration of lead in children’s blood, the economic costs of eliminating an invasive species, and the number of yearly outbreaks attributed to waterborne disease-causing organisms.

  8. DPSIR Framework • Response • Societal reaction to environmental problems and their causes • Legislation, regulation, economic instruments, education, voluntary action, and budgetary allocation. • Examples include the area set aside as protected parks, and trends in recycling.

  9. Criteria for Selecting Indicators • Significant/Salient • Clear/easy to Interpret • Support Policy decisions • Scientifically credible • Neutral/objective • Comparable over various scales • Cost Effective • Transparent

  10. Other Issues to Consider in Evaluating Trends • Reversibility • Spatial Scale • Risk Magnitude • Scientific Uncertainty • Public Concern

  11. Steps in Developing Indicators 1. Identify themes and issues related to the overarching vision and goal. 2. Propose an initial set of candidate indicators. 3. Select an analytical framework that links goals to indicators. 4. Develop a list of criteria for indicator selection. 5. Evaluate indicators according to criteria. 6. Define a core set and/or a suite of indicator sets for different users.

  12. Steps in Developing Indicators 7. Identify data sources and data gaps. 8. Gather data and populate the indicators; standardize measurement wherever possible. 9. Compare indicator values to targets, thresholds, and policy goals, as appropriate. 10. Disseminate results. 11. Assess strengths and weaknesses of indicator set. 12. Continue development of superior indicators.

  13. References • http://na.unep.net/publications/NA_Indicators/NA-Indicators-FullVersion.pdf • http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/es/esi/ESI2005_policysummary.pdf

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