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Building element: Policy driven process
Marine AoA:
UNGA' s decisions in Resolution 60/30
EE-AoA:
Following the 2007 Belgrade environment ministers' conference agreed by the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy (Oct 2010) and endorsed by the UNECE Executive Committee in Feb 2010 (see Chapter 1, Section 1.1).
Building element: Reference frameworks
Marine AoA:
Start-up phase towards a Regular Process for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment
EE-AoA:
Part of the development of a sustainable Regular Assessment Process of Europe' s environment following the reform of the UNECE Environment for Europe (EfE) process and coherently with the establishment of the EU/EEA Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) and ENPI-SEIS project.
Building element: Ownership
Marine AoA:
Expert-based process. A Group of Expert was established by the Ad Hoc Steering Group (AHSG) to undertake the actual work of the AoA with the support of UNEP and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The Group of Expert included 17 scientists; their work was complemented by other contributing experts as needed.
EE-AoA:
Participatory process overseen by the UNECE Steering Group on Environmental Assessments specifically set up for the EE-AoA and co-chaired by the EEA and the Kazakh government. Within the guidelines and criteria laid down, the countries had the freedom to decide which information to be input to the process and on the critical appraisal of such information. The writing of the sub-regional modules contributing to the EE-AoA was placed with the relevant Regional Environmental Centers.
Building element: Scale
Marine AoA:
Global, with 21 AoA ' regions' (seas or oceans) outlined.
EE-AoA
Pan-European, with the following sub-regions (EEA member countries, Central Asia, Caucasus, Eastern Europe, Russian Federation, and Western Balkans).
Building element: Content
Marine AoA:
Mono-thematic (marine environment, including socio-economic aspects).
EE-AoA:
Multi-thematic (water resources and water resource management for ' water and related ecosystems' ; green economy and resource efficiency for ' green economy' ) and multiple topics within each theme.
Building element: Structure
Marine AoA:
One module
EE-AoA:
One pan-European module and four sub-regional modules (Central Asia, Caucasus, Eastern Europe, and Russian Federation) for each of the themes, for a total of ten modules, two at pan-European level (one for water and one for green economy) and eight at regional level (four for water and four for green economy).
Building element: Guidance
Marine AoA:
The mandate of the AoA was elaborated by the AHSG at its first meeting in 2006. In brief, the mandate encompasses: (i) assembling information about relevant marine assessments; (ii) undertaking a critical appraisal of such assessments; (iii) identifying a framework and options to build the Regular Process.
EE-AoA:
The process was developed along guidelines elaborated by the EEA and under the guidance of the Steering Group defining: (i) the conceptual framework of the EE-AoA, including guiding principles; (ii) the main tools for implementation (glossary, guidelines for assessments' selection and prioritisation, templates for assessments' screening, and reporting formats). Tools were adjusted and enriched during implementation.
Building element: Monitoring and coordination
Marine AoA:
The AHSG was established to oversee the implementation of the AoA. Coordination was provided by UNEP and IOC-UNESCO.
EE-AoA:
The process was guided by the UNECE Steering Group on Environmental Assessment.
Building element: IT infrastructure
Marine AoA:
The GRAMED (Global and Regional Assessments of the Marine Environment Database), an online fully searchable tool, was developed by UNEP-WCMC as a resource to support the work of the Group of Experts.
EE-AoA:
The EE-AoA knowledge base portal was established. The portal collates information from existing assessments across the pan-European region, allows online direct contribution from individual countries to the process, and provides all necessary tools for implementation, including analytical instruments.
Building element: Networking
Marine AoA:
Through the several UN agencies involved.
EE-AoA:
Through existing networks (National Focal Points from EEA member and cooperating countries and UNECE/WGEMA Contact Points from Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Russian Federation and Central Asia).
Building element: Tools for implementation
Marine AoA:
Use of terms, individual assessment template, regional summary template.
EE-AoA:
Glossary, virtual library and assessment atlas, country fiches, prioritisation criteria, review template
Country: Albania
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment, Forests and Water Administration
Statistical yearbooks: Statistical Service
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment, Forests and Water Administration
Country: Armenia
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Nature Protection
Statistical yearbooks: National Statistical Service
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Nature Protection
Country: Austria
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Federal Environment Agency
Statistical yearbooks: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Statistics Austria
Water reporting: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Federal Environment Agency
Country: Azerbaijan
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
Statistical yearbooks: State Committee of Statistics
Water reporting: Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
Country: Belarus
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
Statistical yearbooks: National Statistical Committee
Water reporting: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
Country: Belgium
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Flanders: Flemish Environment Agency (VMM); Walloon: Directorate General for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment (DGARNE)
Statistical yearbooks: Statistics Belgium, Walloon Institute for Evaluation of Foresight and Statistics (IWEPS)
Water reporting: Flemish Environment Agency, Directorate General for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism
Statistical yearbooks: Federal Office of Statistics
Water reporting: Federal Hydrometeorological Institute
Country: Bulgaria
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Executive Environment Agency
Statistical yearbooks: National Statistical Institute
Water reporting: Ministry of Environment and Water
Country: Croatia
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Croatian Environment Agency
Statistical yearbooks: Croatian Bureau of Statistics
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Hrvatske vode
Country: Cyprus
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment
Statistical yearbooks: Statistical Service
Water reporting: Water Development Department
Water reporting
Country: Czech Republic
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Czech Environmental Information Agency
Statistical yearbooks: Czech Statistical Office
Water reporting: Ministry of the Environment — Department of Water Protection
Country: Denmark
Organisation producing SoE assessments: National Environmental Research Institute
Statistical yearbooks: Statistics Denmark
Water reporting: Ministry of the Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, Geological survey of Denmark and Greenland
Country: Estonia
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Estonian Environment Information Centre
Statistical yearbooks: Statistics Estonia
Water reporting: Ministry of the Environment
Country: Finland
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Finnish Environment Institute
Statistical yearbooks: Environmental Administration
Water reporting: Environmental Administration
Country: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning
Statistical yearbooks: State Statistical Office
Water reporting: Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning
Country: France
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transportation and Housing
Statistical yearbooks: Service of Observation and Statistics (SOeS)
Water reporting: EauFrance
Country: Georgia
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources
Statistical yearbooks: National Statistics Office
Water reporting: Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources
Country: Germany
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Federal Environment Agency (with important input from the Federal states)
Statistical yearbooks: Federal Statistical Office (with important input from the Federal states)
Water reporting: Federal Environment Agency, Federal Environment Ministry (with important input from the Federal states)
Country: Greece
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works
Statistical yearbooks: National Statistical Service of Greece
Water reporting: National Technical University of Athens
Country: Hungary
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Rural Development
Statistical yearbooks: Hungarian Central Statistical Office
Water reporting: Ministry of Rural Development, Hungarian Central Directorate for Environment and Water, VITUKI
Country: Iceland
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry for the Environment
Statistical yearbooks: Statistics Iceland
Water reporting: Environment Agency
Country: Ireland
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Environmental Protection Agency
Statistical yearbooks: Central Statistics Office
Water reporting: Environmental Protection Agency
Country: Italy
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry for the Environment
Statistical yearbooks: Italian National Institute of Statistics
Water reporting: Italian National Institute of Statistics
Country: Kazakhstan
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environmental Protection
Statistical yearbooks: Agency for Statistics
Water reporting: Ministry of Environmental Protection
Country: Kosovo under UNSCR 1244/1999
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Environmental Protection Agency
Water reporting: Water and waste regulatory office
Country: Kyrgyzstan
Organisation producing SoE assessments: State Agency for Environmental Protection and Forestry
Statistical yearbooks: National Statistical Committee
Water reporting: State Committee on Water Resources and Melioration
Country: Latvia
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Statistical yearbooks: Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia
Water reporting: Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Country: Liechtenstein
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Liechtenstein National Administration
Statistical yearbooks: Office of Statistics
Water reporting: Environmental Protection Agency
Country: Lithuania
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Environmental Protection Agency
Statistical yearbooks: Statistics Lithuania
Water reporting: Environmental Protection Agency
Country: Luxembourg
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry for the Environment
Statistical yearbooks: National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Water reporting: Administration of water management
Country: Malta
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Malta Environment and Planning Authority
Statistical yearbooks: National Statistics Office
Water reporting: Malta Environment and Planning Authority
Country: Moldova
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry for the Environment
Statistical yearbooks: National Bureau of Statistics
Water reporting: Ministry for the Environment
Country: Montenegro
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Environmental Protection Agency
Statistical yearbooks: Statistical Office
Water reporting: Environmental Protection Agency
Country: Netherlands
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Statistical yearbooks: Statistics Netherlands
Water reporting: Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Country: Norway
Organisation producing SoE assessments: State of the Environment Norway
Statistical yearbooks: Statistics Norway
Water reporting: Ministry of Environment
Country: Poland
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection
Statistical yearbooks: Central Statistical Office
Water reporting: Ministry of the Environment, National Water Management Authority, Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection
Country: Portugal
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning
Statistical yearbooks: Statistics Portugal
Water reporting: Water Institute
Country: Romania
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment and Forests
Statistical yearbooks: National Statistical Institute
Water reporting: Ministry of environment/water department
Country: Russian Federation
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
Statistical yearbooks: Federal State Statistics Service
Water reporting: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
Country: Serbia
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment
Statistical yearbooks: Statistical Office
Water reporting: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management
Country: Slovak Republic
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of the Environment, Slovak Environmental Agency
Statistical yearbooks: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic
Water reporting: Ministry of the Environment, Water Research Institute, Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, Slovak Environmental Agency, Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic
Country: Slovenia
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning
Statistical yearbooks: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
Water reporting: Slovenian Environment Agency
Country: Spain
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs
Statistical yearbooks: National Statistics Institute
Water reporting: Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs
Country: Sweden
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
Statistical yearbooks: Statistics Sweden
Water reporting: Geological Survey of Sweden
Country: Switzerland
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Federal Office for the Environment
Statistical yearbooks: Federal Statistical Office
Water reporting: Federal Office for the Environment
Country: Tajikistan
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Committee for Environmental protection
Statistical yearbooks: Statistical Agency
Water reporting: State Hydrometeorology Agency
Country: Turkey
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation
Statistical yearbooks: Turkish Statistical Institute
Water reporting: Ministry of Forestry and Water Works
Country: Turkmenistan
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry for the Protection of Nature
Statistical yearbooks: State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics
Water reporting: Ministry for the Protection of Nature
Country: Ukraine
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine
Statistical yearbooks: State Statistics Committee
Water reporting: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine
Country: United Kingdom
Organisation producing SoE assessments: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Statistical yearbooks: Office for National Statistics
Water reporting: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Country: Uzbekistan
Organisation producing SoE assessments: State Committee for Nature Protection
Statistical yearbooks: State Statistics Committee
Water reporting: State Committee for Nature Protection
Note: FAO Water Management country profiles, see the individual countries. Available at http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index.asp?lang=en&iso3=ALB&paia=4. FAO-Aquastat available at http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/main/index.stm. UNCSD freshwater profile (freshwater and sanitation) available at http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/dsd_aofw_ni/ni_indecsdthemprof.shtml#water. Water Wiki http://waterwiki.net/index.php/Countries#Europe_and_CIS. GEMS/Water status of participating countries http://www.gemswater.org/global_network/statistical_summary.html.
Green economy (Priority areas)
Renewable energy
Explanation:
Energy which is naturally replenished and comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, freshwater, tides or geothermal heat.
Relevance to green economy::
Different parts of the world have a competitive advantage in different renewable energy technologies, depending on geography, climate, etc. In addition, many governments offer subsidies or incentives for renewable energy generation, and there are national/regional renewable energy/greenhouse gas reduction targets that drive investment in this area.
Examples of assessments:
Energy efficiency
Explanation:
Changes in behaviour and technology that lead to reductions in amount of energy required to provide products and services.
Relevance to green economy:
As with other aspects of resource efficiency, doing ' more with less' reduces environmental impacts, enhances competitiveness and provides opportunities for growth. Initiatives are often driven by carbon reduction targets or concerns over energy security.
Examples of assessments:
Mobility
Explanation:
The environmental impacts of transport, including air quality, emissions, noise.
Relevance to green economy: Essentially related to the reduction in pollution of different media, which has beneficial impacts on health, welfare and productivity.
Examples of assessments:
Industry
Explanation:
Emissions, waste and resource use from industrial production and processes.
Relevance to green economy:
Relative reductions in emissions and waste are associated with efficiency improvements, innovation, improved environmental quality and public health benefits.
Examples of assessments:
Innovation
Explanation:
Any change that renews or improves a product or process.
Relevance to green economy:
Environmental or eco-innovation is now widely used as a means of reducing the environmental impacts from economic activity.
Examples of assessments:
Environmental Impact Assessment /Strategic Impact Assessment (EIA/SIA)
Explanation:
Environmental or strategic impact assessment.
Relevance to green economy:
These policymaking tools are widely used to measure the environmental impacts of a decision or policy change.
Examples of assessments:
Governance
Explanation:
Institutional arrangements, multilateral agreements, etc.
Relevance to green economy:
The structures, institutions and governing bodies that are required to develop, implement and enforce the policies designed to move towards a green economy.
Examples of assessments:
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental reporting
Explanation:
All voluntary and self-regulating mechanisms in the private sector designed to ensure active compliance with spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms.
Relevance to green economy:
The triple bottom line of people, planet and profit is the axiom most commonly identified with CSR and environmental reporting. It includes actions that encourage a positive impact through activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and other.
Examples of assessments:
Futures and scenarios
Explanation:
Vulnerability, opportunities, competitiveness and migration.
Relevance to green economy:
These are emerging or future issues that will impact, either positively or negatively, on the ability of a country or region to develop a green economy.
Examples of assessments:
Mining
Explanation:
Extraction of valuable minerals or other geological, non-renewable material from the earth.
Relevance to green economy:
Virtually any material that cannot be grown or created artificially has to be mined, creating potential negative impacts on the environment.
Examples of assessments:
Resource efficiency
Use of natural capital
Explanation:
Forestry, agriculture, urbanisation and other human activities leading to use and degradation of land, soil, water and biodiversity.
Relevance to green economy:
Natural capital can be used more efficiently (resource efficiency), but it can also be degraded, leading to reduced welfare and environmental legacy issues such as pollution.
Examples of assessments:
Water efficiency
Explanation:
Per unit reductions in the amount of water used in industrial, rural and urban areas.
Relevance to green economy:
Doing ' more with less' reduces environmental impacts, enhances competitiveness, gives opportunities for growth. Initiatives are often driven by carbon reduction targets or concerns over energy security.
Examples of assessments:
Life-cycle analysis (LCA)
Explanation:
Full account of environmental impacts of producing, supplying, consuming and disposing of a good or service, whether these are within national borders or elsewhere.
Relevance to green economy:
Broadens the interpretation of resource to bring in consideration of environmental impacts prior to production (beginning with raw material extraction) and following consumption (to disposal).
Examples of assessments:
Environmental accounting
Explanation:
Valuation of natural capital and financial instruments such as green taxes, trading schemes, charges and levies.
Relevance to green economy:
Environmental accounting tools are used to bring non-market (environmental) goods and services into decision-making, providing incentives to producers and consumers.
Examples of assessments:
Sustainable consumption and production (SCP)
Explanation:
Reducing environmental impacts while improving or maintaining economic outputs.
Relevance to green economy:
Generally takes a broader life cycle approach than other interpretations of resource efficiency.
Examples of assessments:
Tourism
Explanation:
The greening of the travel and tourism sector.
Relevance to green economy:
Green tourism creates opportunities for new jobs, resource efficiency and poverty reduction.
Examples of assessments:
Note: The two priority areas ' innovation' and ' mining' were added by the EEA.
Green economy (Priority areas)
Renewable energy
Number and frequency of assessments:
A large number of assessments produced at least annually (some more frequent)
Size and type of assessments:
Range from high-level (e.g. per cent of total energy from renewables) to detailed breakdown of energy by type (heat, transport, electricity) and technology (e.g. wind, wave, biomass)
Main developments:
Assessments in this area have been increasing rapidly in number, level of detail and frequency. Goals and targets are often defined.
Basis of assessments:
Generally based on comprehensive and audited data provided by government and/or private sector
Geographical aspects:
All countries covered but most comprehensive in Northern and Western Europe. Balkans and new EU Member States more patchy.
Energy efficiency
Number and frequency of assessments:
Most assessments look at the background to or scope for energy efficiency
Size and type of assessments:
Range from short overview assessments and factsheets to detailed long-term strategies, with consideration of progress, barriers, opportunities, etc.
Main developments:
Increasingly linked to wider resource efficiency, behaviour (sustainable consumption), green growth (economic growth without increasing GHG emissions or air pollution) and life-cycle analysis
Basis of assessments:
Past consumption based on energy consumption time series data. Future consumption based on international comparisons, technological changes, GDP growth, etc.
Geographical aspects:
Well established in most areas, with increasingly detailed assessments from Western Balkans and new EU Member States
Innovation
Number and frequency of assessments:
Very few and far between, often led by pan-regional organisations
Size and type of assessments:
Ad-hoc
Main developments:
Linked to economic recovery and growth (Lisbon agenda). Generally applied to ' traditional' areas, e.g. transport, energy
Basis of assessments:
Identification of opportunities for GDP growth and job creation
Geographical aspects:
Poor coverage in all areas
Mobility
Number and frequency of assessments:
Good number of annual and ad-hoc assessments
Size and type of assessments:
Range of high-level strategies, annual progress reports and action plans
Main developments:
Most focus on transport (modes, behaviour, road pricing, integrated transport systems, etc.) and air pollution (especially links to emissions and climate change)
Basis of assessments:
Mostly air quality measurements (with comprehensive range of indicators) and transport patterns (e.g. freight demand, car use). Very little on noise
Geographical aspects:
Focused on heavily developed countries
Industry
Number and frequency of assessments:
Good number of annual and ad-hoc assessments
Size and type of assessments:
Breakdown of waste types (e.g. hazardous, non-hazardous) and pollution sources (Assessments on emissions are generally part of energy sector reports, where industry is one of many sectors).
Main developments:
Increasingly considering solutions and policy responses, e.g. domestic waste charging, separation systems. Also life cycle, cradle to grave assessments and new opportunities, e.g. waste as renewable energy source
Basis of assessments:
Robust and comprehensive data from industrial sectors
Geographical aspects:
All areas well covered
EIA/SIA
Number and frequency of assessments:
Very few
Size and type of assessments:
Undertaken by pan-regional bodies and often applied to transboundary issues
Main developments:
Compliance with International conventions(especially re transboundary issues) and guidance from European Commission and others
Basis of assessments:
Questionnaires completed by participating countries
Geographical aspects:
All countries covered by legislation and using EIA, but very few specific assessments
Governance
Number and frequency of assessments:
Very few
Size and type of assessments:
Strategic think pieces or proposals by pan-regional bodies
Main developments:
Futures and scenarios (e.g. vulnerability of poorer regions to environmental degradation and loss of natural capital, opportunities arising from improved environmental protection and the socio-economic effects of migration due to climate change and other factors
Basis of assessments:
Generally based on in-depth but ad-hoc reviews of national institutional arrangements
Geographical aspects:
Focused on emerging or transitional economies
CSR and environmental reporting
Number and frequency of assessments:
Large number of regular and ad-hoc assessments
Size and type of assessments:
Large variation from public and non-public organisations
Main developments:
Often at cutting edge, with integrated assessments coming to the fore
Basis of assessments:
Generally based on primary data from industry or trade associations
Geographical aspects:
Most coverage in Northern and Western Europe
Futures and scenarios
Number and frequency of assessments:
Very few specific assessments, though most assessments consider future challenges
Size and type of assessments:
A range, from high level to in-depth and from different regional, national and non-public bodies
Main developments:
Climate change, migration
Regional organisations often talk about developing new partnerships and extending geographical scope
Basis of assessments:
Often trend-based, but increasingly focused on forecast and complex probabilistic scenarios (e.g. for climate change)
Geographical aspects:
Good coverage in all regions
Mining
Number and frequency of assessments:
Reasonably comprehensive
Size and type of assessments:
Range of organisations involved, including regional, national and non-public bodies
Main developments:
Increasingly concerned with rehabilitation following mine closure (e.g. contaminated water, tailings management)
Basis of assessments:
International good practice principles
Geographical aspects:
Focused on countries with significant ongoing mining industries, or with legacy issues
Resource efficiency
Use of natural capital
Number and frequency of assessments:
Comprehensive assessments are largely limited to occasional, high-level and international issues
Size and type of assessments:
Mainly strategic documents and think pieces at global level, and sector focused (e.g. forestry) at national level
Main developments:
Increasingly recognised as a means of bringing environmental assets into mainstream decision-making and improving protection of natural resources. Terminology still evolving, with some assessments including finite natural resources (e.g. oil)
Basis of assessments:
Robust and comprehensive time series data on material stocks and flows in key sectors
Geographical aspects:
Content of assessments largely reflects extent of primary industry in country (e.g. forestry, mining, fishing)
Water efficiency
Number and frequency of assessments:
Increasing in number but ad-hoc rather than planned or programmed
Size and type of assessments:
Mainly sector based (most on industrial or domestic consumption, less in rural areas) and varying in level of detail
Main developments:
Consider broader issues (availability, affordability, appropriate water pricing). Increasingly interested in water footprint (embedded water) and re-use
Basis of assessments:
Lots of reports from environment agencies, private and third sectors covering water use, stress, abstraction, efficiency, etc.
Geographical aspects:
Most common in water scarce and well-developed countries
LCA
Number and frequency of assessments:
Very few and far between. Often rather narrow and specific (e.g. recycling or minimising waste)
Size and type of assessments:
Application of LCA to specific sectors, products or topics
Main developments:
Still developing methodologies and guidelines for assessing LCA (e.g. carbon and water footprint of imported products)
Basis of assessments:
Bottom-up approaches based on consumption and production patterns for products and services
Geographical aspects:
Poor coverage in all areas
Environmental accounting
Number and frequency of assessments:
Very sparse, mainly focused on high-level concepts and principles
Size and type of assessments:
Mainly regional national attempts to stimulate debate
Main developments:
Some sectors (e.g. forests) better understood and covered than others (e.g. soil). Largely focused on developing metrics, e.g. through ecosystem services approach
Basis of assessments:
Based on economic value of different sectors, plus flows of raw or processed material, also material imports and exports, domestic material consumption per GDP
Geographical aspects:
Poor coverage in all areas
SCP
Number and frequency of assessments:
Gradually increasing in number and range
Size and type of assessments:
Cover both regional and national
Main developments:
Driven increasingly by national sustainable development strategies and programmes, and focused on specific themes or areas (e.g. public procurement). Also decoupling resource use (e.g. energy, material extraction) and environmental pressures (e.g. CO2) from economic growth, ecological footprint
Basis of assessments:
Generally case study based but including various indicators (e.g. production and consumption by sector, resource consumption, number of companies with ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certification)
Geographical aspects:
Least well developed in Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia
Tourism
Number and frequency of assessments:
Relatively few and infrequent assessments
Size and type of assessments:
Generally national, but some regional assessments (e.g. OSPAR Commission)
Main developments:
Impacts of tourism on environment (e.g. landtake, demand for water, erosion)
Basis of assessments:
Mix of regular, time-series data (e.g. number of establishments and bed spaces, arrivals by country) and project-based info
Geographical aspects:
Focused on countries with established tourism sectors
For references, please go to https://eea.europa.eu./publications/europes-environment-aoa/annexes.xhtml or scan the QR code.
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