|
France
First Interim Report of France for the
Testing of the CSD Indicators of Sustainable Development
At the beginning of 1997, Corine Lepage, French Minister of the
Environment, decided that France should take part in the voluntary
national testing of the CSD indicators of sustainable development.
As recommended, a coordinating organization and a national Focal
Point have been chosen for the testing process.
Coordinating organization:
Ministry of the Environment
Focal Point:
Mr. Thierry LAVOUX (or Cécile RECHATIN)
Institut Francais de l'Environnement (IFEN French Institute for the
Environment).
61, Boulevard Alexander Martin
45058 - ORLEANS CEDEX 1
Tel: (33-2) 3879-7878
Fax: (33-2) 3879-7870
E-mail: thierry.lavoux@ifen.fr
E-mail: cecile.rechatin@ifen.fr
In parallel, the Ministry of the Environment has
proposed to his Tunisian counterpart a twinning arrangement for the
testing. This proposal has been acknowledged by Tunisia and the
elaboration of a common structure should start in the coming weeks.
In January and February 1997, IFEN and the
Ministry of the Environment have discussed the elaboration of a national
coordinating mechanism. In February, a meeting has been organized with
INSEE (National Statistical Institute) so as to present the project and
discuss the structure and work programme. During these meetings, an
agreement has been reached on the structure of the national coordinating
mechanism and on the work programme for 1997.
In order to simplify the testing process, it has
been proposed to set up two working groups.
The first one will be referred to as the ®
technical group. His members are statistical experts who represent the
different institutions in which stays, in France, the responsibility for
indicators, data collection, compilation and analysis (INSEE, INED,
statistical departments of the different ministries involved,...)
These experts are supposed to act as contact
points in their own field of expertise (either economic, social, ...).
They will gather information on the current status of indicator
production in France, elaborate a review of the data being collected and
compare the methodology sheets with the calculation methods
traditionally used in France. They are also supposed to evaluate the
usefulness and relevance of the methodology sheets. What's more, they
will be asked to identify the main gaps of the French statistical system
and to propose new data to be collected. To help them through the
process, a standardized questionnaire will be elaborated by IFEN and the
Ministry of the Environment, based on the guidelines provided by the
DPCSD.
A meeting of the technical group will be
organized after analysis and compilation of the experts answers to this
questionnaire.
The second group will be referred to as the ®
political group . The core of this group will be constituted by members
of the interministerial group who traditionally attend the meetings on
sustainable development organized by the Foreign Office.
The main task of the political group will be to
evaluate the relevance and usefulness of the list of indicators for the
decision-makers, to identify the priorities and the information gaps, to
propose new means of communication for the indicators,...
A questionnaire will be elaborated as well,
gathering the main aspects of the question and based on the guidelines
of the DPCSD. IFEN is considering using the opportunity of this
questionnaire to ask a few more general questions about indicators of
sustainable development (needs, suggestions) in the context of a
national project on ISD, that has just began, and is to be led in
parallel.
The questionnaire will not only be sent to the
members of the interministerial group, but also to representatives of
the technical group and to a wide range of experts, scientists, NGOs,...
The testing process will be presented to the
members of the political group at the beginning of April. In June, a
second meeting will be organized to present and discuss the first result
of the technical survey and launch the political survey. Finally, in
October-November, the political group (probably enlarged to
representatives of the technical group) will be asked to validate the
first annual report.
STRUCTURE AND WORK AGENDA
February (IFEN)
First interim report: Establishment of the national coordinating
mechanism
February-March (IFEN, Ministry of February (INSEE,
IFEN) the Environment Setting up of the technical Pre-selection of the
French working group list of indicators March Elaboration of the
technical March (IFEN) questionnaire Second interim report Presentation
of the testing process to the technical group April Presentation of the
testing process to the political group May-June May-June (IFEN)
Presentation to the political group Answers to the technical of the
first results of the questionnaire technical survey Compilation in a
report June Elaboration of the political questionnaire September (IFEN)
Answers to the political questionnaire Compilation in a report
October-November (IFEN) First annual report, based on the different
reports elaborated during the year, and on the format provided by DPCSD
November Validation of the first annual report by the political group
Second Interim Report of France for the
Testing of the CSD Indicators of Sustainable Development
November 1997
The following presents an extract from the second
interim report, prepared by the French Institute for the Environment (IFEN),
containing the Introduction as well as Annex 2 and Annex 4. The
Introduction includes references to other annexes from the report which
are not available on this web site. Information on these annexes can be
obtained by contacting IFEN:
Mr. Thierry Lavoux (Head of Department)
Head of Department "Studies and Synthesis"
French Institute for the Environment
61 Bd Alexandre Martin, 45 058 ORLEANS - FRANCE
Tel.: 33.2.38.79.78.78
Fax.: 33.2.38.79.78.70
E-mail: thierry.lavoux@ifen.fr
Introduction
The CSD indicator testing in France started in
April 1997 with IFEN (French Institute for the Environment) as National
Focal Point, and the Ministry of the Environment as the Coordinating
organization.
The testing process was carried out in two phases
:
Methodological and Technical test : a
first working group was consulted to compare the methodology sheets with
the definitions and the calculation methods traditionally used in
France. The experts were also supposed to evaluate the quality of the
methodology sheets.
Policy Relevance Test : a second working
group was asked to evaluate the relevance and usefulness of the list of
indicators for the decision-makers related to national context and
priorities.
To help the experts through the process,
standardized questionnaires have been elaborated by IFEN and the
Ministry of the Environment, based on the guidelines provided by the
DPCSD.
Implementation of the Technical Test
- Technical Questionnaire
A Technical questionnaire (see annex 1) was
elaborated, reviewing the different sections of the methodology
sheets. It is constituted of four parts :
- Indicator
- Data
- Evaluation of the data collection organization
- Overall assessment of the methodology sheet
The purpose of the first part of the questionnaire is to identify
the indicators already used in France among the CSD list, and to
highlight the differences existing between national definitions and
U.N. specifications. When other indicators close to the subject are
used regularly in France, experts are invited to give the
corresponding definitions. A first analysis of the relevance of
indicators is required here. Questions of the second part focus on
the availability and reliability of the data needed for each
indicator. In the third part, an evaluation of the performance of
the data collection and implementation agency is required. In the
last part, experts are asked to give an overall assessment of the
technical information provided by the methodology sheets, and to
propose modifications or additional precisions.
- Statistical Experts
The Indicator methodology sheets and questionnaires attached (one
for each indicator) were distributed to statistical experts,
according to their fields of interest. The experts were selected for
their knowledge of the different fields tackled by the sustainable
development indicators. Most of them belong to the national
institutions in charge of data collection, compilation and analysis,
in economic, social and environmental spheres. The following
organizations were consulted (see the complete list of organisms in annex
2) :
- French Commission on Sustainable Development
- Ministry of the Environment
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Ministry of Industry
- Ministry of Equipment, Transports, Settlement and Tourism
- Ministry of the National Education and Research
- Ministry of Health
- INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economical
Studies)
- ADEME (Agency for Environment and Energy Control)
- INRA (National Institute for Agricultural Research)
- CITEPA (Technical Interprofessional Center for Atmospheric
Pollution Studies)
- ENITA (National Insitute for Agricultural Engineering)
- METEO FRANCE (National Institute for Meteorology)
- IFREMER (French Research Institute for Sea Exploitation)
- AURIF (Institute for Urban planning of the Ile-de-France
Region)
- National Park of Les Ecrins
- IFEN (French Institute for the Environment).
INSEE provided help for the coordination of this part of the
testing process.
- Agenda
The sheets and questionnaires were sent in April 97, to the
statistical experts. About 100 answers out of 134 have been returned
to IFEN so far. It is expected that this part of the testing process
will be achieved by the end of November, so as to compile the
results by the end of the year.
Implementation of the Political Relevance Test
- Political Questionnaire
To facilitate the implementation of this second phase of the testing
process, IFEN partially translated the methodology sheets. Only the
main paragraphs of the sheets corresponding to the relevance aspects
of the indicator (« Definition » and « Significance/Policy
Relevance ») were translated, so as to limit the translation
burden and provide more synthetic information to the experts. The
summarized and translated sheets were compiled in a document (« Traduction
abrégée du Livre Bleu ») which is attached to this report in
annex 3. It was decided to address the whole document to the
different experts selected for this part of the test, so as to give
them an overview of the list of indicators. Experts were requested
to select the indicators they want to comment on and send back their
remarks and proposals.
- Political Experts
One hundred experts were chosen from: (see complete list in annex
4)
- the French Commission on Sustainable Development,
- the Interministerial Group, which was created to promote
implementation of sustainable development in the French
Administration,
- the scientific community,
- the Non Governemental Organizations involved in environment or
development.
For each indicator, the main task of this second expert group is to
evaluate the relevance and the usefulness of the list of indicators
for the decision-makers, regarding national objectives of
Sustainable Development. Experts are invited to identify the
priorities and the information gaps, and to make proposals.
Guidelines for the expertise were provided to the experts with the
translated document (see a copy of this note in annex 5).
- Agenda
The document with guidelines for expertise attached were sent in
early September. We hope to receive the answers by the end of
November, in order to compile the results of the 2 phases of the
test by the end of the year. At the same time, it is anticipated to
set up a seminar with experts involved in the testing procedure, to
validate the first annual report.
Elaboration of the First Annual Report
We hope to present the First Annual Report to the DPCSD at the beginning
of 1998. The structure of the first substantive progress report will
follow the Guidelines for National Testing, as approved by the Second
International Workshop (Ghent, November 1996), and the format provided
by the DPCSD in may 1997.
As requested, the structure of the report will distinguish :
- an overall assessment of the indicator menu, organization and
methodology sheets,
- an assessment of the individual indicators, compiling, in the
Indicator Report Sheet, the results of the tests : technical test
and political test.
A model of Indicator Report Sheet adapted for the French testing process
is presented in annex 6.
First results and lessons learnt in the testing procedure Such a
complex procedure, with two testing phases, requires an important follow
up, but it is useful to provide a complete evaluation of the
different aspects of indicators :
- Statistical and methodological aspects : definition and
calculation methods, data availability and reliability, data sources
and information systems existing,
- Policy relevance and usefulness of the indicators, and integration
in decision making processes.
The first phase of the test enabled the identification of three
groups of indicators :
- a first group of indicators regularly used and published in France
(e.g. most of the economic indicators on the list),
- a second group of indicators not calculated but which data are
available (especially in the social field)
- a third group, where implementation implies gathering data from
distinct information systems or to create new data bases (e.g. some
environmental and institutional indicators on the list).
The first results of the political test are leading to a pre-selection
of the indicators corresponding to national priorities ; they also
highlight key national issues which are lacking in the CSD working list.
Twinning with Tunisia The twinning process with Tunisia is
starting now. A launch meeting is planned in December in Tunisia, where
IFEN, in association with the Blue Plan, will present the first results
of the exercice in France, to the institutions concerned. The modalities
of the implementation of the testing procedure in Tunisia will be
discussed as well.
National work on Sustainable Development
- French Commission on Sustainable Development
The French Commission on Sustainable Development published in
December 1996 a report presenting proposals for a sustainable
development strategy.
Parallel to the testing of the CSD indicators, IFEN is leading a
national project on indicators of sustainable development, whose
objectives are the integration of the different dimensions of
sustainable development, according to national priorities. Three working
groups have been constituted, gathering scientific experts representing
the various economic, social and environmental fields. This programme is
just beginning. A report presenting the selection of indicators and the
main conclusions will be published at the end of 1998.
Work Agenda
- March 1997 :
Launching the testing process
- April-May :
Elaboration and sending of the technical questionnaire
- July-August :
Follow-up letters to statistical experts
Translation in abbreviated form of the « Blue Book »
- September :
Sending the translated document to political experts
- October :
Compilation of the responses to technical questionnaire
- November :
Compilation of the responses to political questionnaire
- December :
Elaboration of the First Annual Report
Launching meeting in Tunisia
- January 1998 :
Validation of the First Annual Report in a National seminary
Annex 2 : List of organisms participating in the technical test
|
Organism
|
Service
|
Chapter of Agenda 21
|
|
Ministère de l’Environnement
|
Commission française du développement durable
|
23-32
|
|
|
Direction Générale de l’Administration et du
Développement
|
39
|
|
|
Direction de l’Eau
|
17
- 18
|
|
|
Direction de la Nature et des Paysages
|
10
|
|
|
Direction de la Prévention des Pollutions et
des Risques
|
9-19-20-22
|
|
Ministère de l’Agriculture, de la Pêche et
de l’Alimentation
|
SCEES (Service Central des Enquêtes et Etudes
Statistiques)
|
11-14
|
|
Ministère de l’Economie, des Finances et de
l’Industrie
|
Observatoire de l’Energie
|
4
|
|
|
Service de Conservation des Gisements
d’Hydrocarbures
|
4
|
|
|
Direction des Hydrocarbures
|
4
|
|
|
SESSI (Service des statistiques industrielles)
|
|
|
Ministère de l’Equipement, du Logement, des
Transports et du Tourisme
|
Direction des Affaires Economiques et
Internationales, Service économique et statistique
|
7
|
|
Ministère de l’Education nationale, de
l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche
|
SDESE (Sous-direction des enquêtes statistiques
et des études)
|
36
|
|
|
DGRT (Direction Générale de la Recherche et de
la Technologie)
|
35
|
|
|
DEP (Direction Evaluation et Prospective)
|
36
|
|
|
DSPT 5 (Direction scientifique, pédagogique et
technologique)
|
16
|
|
Ministère de la Santé
|
SESI (Statistiques, études et systèmes
d’information)
|
6
|
|
INSEE (Institut National de la Statistique et
des Etudes Economiques)
|
Département de l’emploi et des revenus
d’activité
|
3
|
|
|
Département de la démographie
|
5
|
|
|
Direction des études et des synthèses économiques
|
2-4-33-34
|
|
|
Département des prix à la consommation, des
ressources et des conditions de vie des ménages
|
3-7
|
|
Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle
|
|
15
|
|
ADEME (Agence De l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise
de l’Energie)
|
|
9-21
|
|
INRA (Institut National de la Recherche
Agronomique)
|
|
13
|
|
CITEPA (Centre Interprofessionnel Technique
d’Etudes de la Pollution Atmosphérique)
|
|
9
|
|
IFEN (Institut Français de l’Environnement)
|
Département Etudes et Synthèses
|
8-9-10-18-40
|
|
|
Département Systèmes d’Observation
|
10-11-12-15-17-18
|
|
|
Département Satistiques et Banques de Données
|
20-21
|
|
ENITA Bordeaux
|
Département Biologie expérimentale Aménagement
Dynamique des espaces
|
10
|
|
METEO FRANCE
|
|
12
|
|
SJTI (Service Juridique et Technique de
l’Information)
|
Département Statistiques
|
40
|
|
IFREMER (Institut Français de Recherche pour
l’Exploitation de la MER)
|
Direction des Ressources Vivantes, Département
: Ressources Halieutiques
|
17
|
|
IAURIF (Institut d’Aménagement et
d’Urbanisme de la Région d’Ile de France)
|
|
12
|
|
Parc National des Ecrins
|
|
13
|
Annex 4 : List of organisms participating
in the political test Interministerial Group
|
Organism
|
Service
|
|
Ministère de l'Equipement, des Transports, du
Logement et du Tourisme
|
Direction des Affaires Economiques et
Internationales, mission "Prospective"
|
|
|
Conseil Général des Ponts
|
|
Ministère de l'Aménagement du Territoire et de
l’Environnement
|
Commission Française du Développement Durable
|
|
|
Cabinet de Madame le Ministre
|
|
|
Direction Générale de l’Administration et du
Développement
|
|
|
Direction de l'Eau
|
|
|
Direction de la Nature et des Paysages
|
|
Ministère de l'Agriculture et de la Pêche
|
Direction des Pêches Maritimes
|
|
|
Direction de l’Espace Rural et de la Forêt
|
|
|
Direction de la Production et des Echanges, Sous-Direction
aux affaires bilatérales
|
|
Ministère de l'Economie, des Finances et de
l'Industrie
|
Direction Générale de l’Energie et des Matières
Premières/SERURE
|
|
|
Direction du Trésor
|
|
Ministère de l'Outre Mer
|
Division des Affaires Economiques
|
|
Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité
|
Division des Relations Internationales
|
|
Ministère de l'Education Nationale, de la
Recherche et de la Technologie
|
Direction des Relations Internationales et de la
Coopération
|
|
|
Direction Générale de la Recherche et de la
Technologie
|
|
|
Mission scientifique et technique
|
|
Ministère délégué à la Coopération
|
Direction du Développement Economique et de
l'Environnement
|
|
Inspection Générale des Affaires Sociales
|
|
|
Secrétariat d'Etat chargé de la Santé
|
Direction Générale de la Santé
|
|
Ministère de la Jeunesse et des Sports
|
|
|
Ministère des Affaires Etrangères
|
DGRCST
|
|
|
Direction des Affaires Economiques
|
|
|
Direction des Affaires Juridiques
|
|
ADEME (Agence De l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise
de l’Energie)
|
|
|
Caisse Française de Développement
|
|
|
CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche
Scientifique)/CREST
|
Observatoire Sociologique du Changement
|
|
DATAR (Délégation à l’Aménagement du
Territoire et à l’Action Régionale)
|
|
|
IFREMER (Institut Français de Recherche pour
l’Exploitation de la MER)
|
Direction de l'Environnement et du Littoral et
Programme "GOOS"
|
Scientific community
ADEME (Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise
de l’Energie) BETA - Université Louis Pasteur BRGM (Bureau de
Recherches Géologiques et Minières) CIRAD - UR GREEN CNAM
(Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers) CNRS (Centre National de
la Recherche Scientifique) /CIRED Conseil Général des Mines Conseil Régional
Ile de France ENGEES ENGREF (Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux
et des Forêts) Faculté de Lettres de Pau Faculté de Sciences
Economiques de Montpellier GDR "Liber -Geo" IFEN (Institut
Français de l’Environnement) INRA (Institut National de la Recherche
Agronomique) INSEE (Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes
Economiques) Ministère de l'Environnement Muséum National d'Histoire
Naturelle Observatoire International de Prospective Régionale Université
d'Orléans - Laboratoire ERMES Université de Lille I Université de
Reims Université de Rouen
Non Governemental Organizations 4D - Dossiers et Débats pour un
Développement Durable AITEC Association "Entreprises pour
l'environnement" Association OREE Association WISE Comité 21 CRID
EDA - Environnement et Développement Alternatif ENDA Tiers Monde Fédération
Mondiale des Cités Unies Fondation pour le Progrès de l'Homme France
Nature Environnement GREENPEACE France INESTENE Les Amis de la Terre -
France Observatoire Mont Blanc-Léman du Développement Durable RDI REAS
Survie WWF - France
Summary Report submitted by France
to the Fourth International Workshop on the CSD Indicators of
Sustainable Development
hosted by the Government of the Czech Republic
in Prague from 19-21 January 1998
At the beginning of 1997, Corine Lepage, French
Minister of the Environment, decided that France should take part in the
voluntary national testing of the CSD indicators of sustainable
development.
As recommended, a coordinating organization and a
national Focal Point have been chosen for the testing process.
Coordinating organization: Ministry of the
Environment
Focal Point: Institut Francais de l'Environnement (IFEN) French
Institute for the Environment
Mr. Thierry Lavoux, Ms. Cecile Rechatin, or Ms.
Cecile Dormoy
1, Boulevard Alexander Martin
45058 - ORLEANS CEDEX 1
Tel. no.: (33-2) 3879-7878
Fax no.: (33-2) 3879-7870
E-mail: thierry.lavoux@ifen.fr
E-mail: cecile.rechatin@ifen.fr
E-mail: cecile.dormoy@ifen.fr
For more information on sustainable development
and indicators on National Programme which is just beginning and the
French testing of CSD indicators, you may visit the IFEN website at: http://www.ifen.fr.
The testing process was carried out in two
phases:
Technical Test:
a) Evaluation of the ability of the French statistical system to compile
the CSD indicators;
b) Comparison between National calculation methods and UN
specifications;
c) Evaluation of the quality of the methodology sheets;
d) Technical Group.
Political Test:
a) Evaluation of the relevance of the indicators in the national
context;
b) Evaluation of their usefulness for decision-makers;
c) Political Group.
FIRST PHASE: TECHNICAL TEST
- Technical questionnaire
A standardized questionnaire was prepared, based on guidelines
provided by the DPCSD.
- Statistical experts
Experts were identified among the national institutions in charge of
data
collection, compilation and analysis;
The methodology sheets and attached questionnaires were distributed
to the experts;
8 indicators not appraised (not relevant for France or under
preparation).
- Timetable
Questionnaires sent: March 1997
Last replies: October 1997
50 experts involved
126 indicators under appraisal
Statistical experts
- National
Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies: INSEE
- Statistical
Departments of different Ministries:
Ministry of the Environment
Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries
Ministry of
Industry
Ministry of
National Education
Ministry of
Health
and IFEN
- Research Institutes:
INRA
(National Institute for Agronomical Research)
IFREMER (French Institute for
Research on Exploitation of Marine
Resources)
ADEME (Agency for Environment
and Energy Management)
National Parks
- Preparation of the technical questionnaire:
- The
Indicator:
Is it routinely compiled in France?
Calculation method?
Institution in charge of devising?
Methodological differences?
Other indicators calculated?
- The
data:
Institution in charge of the collection?
Update Frequency?
Quality/Reliability?
- Assessment
of the quality of the methodology sheets
Legibility?
Level of accuracy?
Proposal for modifications?
SECOND PHASE: POLITICAL TEST
|
