Indicator definition and design

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Indicator definition and design

• Introduction
• Definition
• Format
• Types of indicators
• Purpose and use
• Quality aspects

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Introduction - basic assumptions

• The DPSIR model has been chosen as a framework to
  guide the work on indicators for the EIR project
• Indicators are essential tools for environmental
  management

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Introduction
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IntroductionIndicators in environmental
management

• Setting objectives
• Strategy follow-up
• Design, implement, evaluate policies
• Information supply
• Awareness raising

• Follow-up indicators
• Follow-up indicators
• Progress, evaluation
• Reporting including SOE reporting
• Communication, illustration

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Definition

• A measure that summarises information relevant to
  a particular phenomenon or a reasonable proxy for
  such a measure (proxy means some kind of
  approximation)
• Ability to describe a development in an issue
  making it possible to evaluate if this
  development is desirable or not

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Indicator formats

• Single indicators (point, spatial and/or temporal
  variation)
• Proxy indicators (approximation to the indicator
  you want to use in cases where ideal data/methods
  are unavailable)
• Environmental profiles (composite picture of an
  environmental theme)
• Indices (weighed, aggregated example Global
  Warming Potential)

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Indicator types

• Descriptive indicators
• Performance indicators/normative indicators
• Efficiency indicators
• Total welfare indicators
• Headline indicators

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Indicator typesDescriptive
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Indicator typesDescriptive
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Indicator typesDescriptive
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Indicator typesPerformance/Normative indicator
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Indicator typesPerformance/Normative indicator
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Indicator typesEfficiency - decoupling
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Indicator typesEfficiency
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Indicator types

• Total welfare indicators
• Green GDP
• Sustainability indices
• Highly aggregated, can be difficult to
  obtain/calculate
• Headline indicators
• A few indicators (5-20)
• High priority subjects
• Mainly for communication purposes

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Indicator purpose and use
Early warnings - information of environmental
management institutions and politicians Performanc
e - distance to targets, fulfilment of set goals
and agreements Response of policies - progress
and evaluation Comparisons/benchmarking -
country/country province/province Overall
planning and outlook - relations between economic
and environmental management Awareness raising -
communication and information of the public
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Indicator quality aspects
Relevance - will it answer the question - is
there a question about this? Accuracy-
transparent and well documented how to create the
indicator Comparability - exact definition to
enable comparisons Consistency - co-variation in
underlying data and in indicator Reactivity -
indicator must be sensitive to the development it
is imaging Continuity - indicators need to be
regularly updated, procedure needed Data
availability - feasibility with respect to data
collection, technically and financially