1. Indicator

(a) Name: Sustainable development strategies.
(b) Brief Definition:
(c) Unit of Measurement: Yes/no.

2. Placement in the Framework

(a) Agenda 21: Chapter 8: Integrating Environment and Development in Decision Making.
(b) Type of Indicator: Response.

(Indicator under development)

 

PROGRAMME OF INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC ACCOUNTING
Institutional	Chapter 8	Response

1. Indicator

(a) Name: Programme of integrated environmental and economic accounting.
(b) Brief Definition: Programme of integrated environmental and economic accounting leading to the regular publication of integrated environmental and economic statistics in a state of the environment report, a compendium of environmental statistics, and/or natural accounts or similar reports.
(c) Unit of Measurement: Yes/no.

2. Placement in the Framework

(a) Agenda 21: Chapter 8: Integrating Environment and Development in Decision Making.
(b) Type of Indicator: Response.

3. Significance (Policy Relevance)

(a) Purpose: The existence of a national programme of integrated environmental and economic accounting is an indication of the interest of a country to incorporate environmental concerns in economic decision making and policy analysis.

(b) Relevance to Sustainable/Unsustainable Development: The closer integration of environmental considerations in policy and management decision making is one of the premises for sustainable development contained in Agenda 21. The availability of integrated environmental and economic accounts represents a tool to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of decisions within the context of sustainable development. This represents the creation of an institutional structure to enable the more systematic consideration of environmental factors when decisions are taken over economic, social, fiscal, natural resource, transportation, trade, and other policies. Such accounts facilitate better integration among national and local governments, industry, science, interest groups, and the public in the process of developing effective approaches to achieving sustainable development.

(c) Linkages to Other Indicators: This indicator depends on the availability of a sound system of environmental statistics. It is also linked to those economic and environmental areas which generate data that can be used in integrated accounts.

(d) Targets: This indicator is not open to the setting of targets.

(e) International Conventions and Agreements: The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) recommended the implementation of the System of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA) in all member states.

4. Methodological Description and Underlying Definitions

(a) Underlying Definitions and Concepts: Several methodologies, such as natural patrimony accounts in France, National Accounts Matrix including Environmental Accounts (NAMEA) in the Netherlands, and physical accounts in Norway have been used to carry out integrated environmental and economic accounting. Most of these methodologies represent variations of the System of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting (United Nations, 1993).

(b) Measurement Methods: This is a yes/no indicator, therefore, there is no actual measurement involved but just an indication of the existence of a programme. The indicator provides information about the actual implementation of a programme, based on the regular publication of integrated environmental and economic statistics in various reports or compendia (see section 1b above).

(c) The Indicator in the DSR Framework: This indicator is an institutional Response to the need for improved information for decision making.

(d) Limitations of the Indicator: Not available.

(e) Alternative Definitions: The indicator could be developed further to provide a qualitative indication of the progress being made in the development and publication of integrated accounts. In addition, the indicator could request information from countries on the type of integrated accounts being pursued, for example natural resource stock, natural resource use, waste output, and environmental expenditure accounts.

5. Assessment of the Availability of Data from International and National Sources

Information about the existence of an integrated accounting programme is available for many countries from national governments, primarily national statistical agencies and environmental ministries.

National governments are involved in the decision of whether to establish a programme of integrated environmental and economic accounting or not. Several international, inter-governmental, non-governmental and regional organizations are also involved in the implementation of programmes on integrated environmental and economic accounting in countries. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has included the implementation of integrated accounting in selected programmes, following the recommendations of the national governments.

6. Agencies Involved in the Development of the Indicator

The lead agency is the United Nations Department of Economics and Social Information and Policy Analysis (DESIPA). The contact point is the Director, Statistics Division, DESIPA; fax no. (1 212) 963 9851.

7. Further Information

Not available

MANDATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Institutional	Chapter 8	Response

1. Indicator

(a) Name: Mandated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
(b) Brief Definition: Legally binding requirements at the national level for EIA.
(c) Unit of Measurement: Yes/no.

2. Placement in the Framework

(a) Agenda 21: Chapter 8: Integrating Environment and Development in Decision Making.
(b) Type of Indicator: Response.

3. Significance (Policy Relevance)

(a) Purpose: To ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account in the development planning and decision-making process.

(b) Relevance to Sustainable/Unsustainable Development: EIA is recognized as an essential tool for ensuring sustainable development, that is through the integration of environmental and socioeconomic considerations.

(c) Linkages to Other Indicators: This indicator is closely linked with other institutional ones, such as sustainable development strategies, national councils for sustainable development, and programme of integrated environmental and economic accounting.

(d) Targets: All countries have policy or legal instruments in place to ensure that EIAs are carried out.

(e) International Conventions and Agreements: Numerous references have been made to EIA in international agreements, for example: Convention on Biological Diversity; United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal; Framework Convention on Climate Change; UN/ECE Convention on Environmental Impact in a Transboundary Context, 1991; Regional Seas Agreements; Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region of 21 June 1985; (Noumea) Convention for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region of 24 November 1986.

4. Methodological Description and Underlying Definitions

(a) Underlying Definitions and Concepts: Mandated EIA means that EIA is required by national legislation. Environmental Impact Assessment is a structured approach for obtaining and evaluating environmental information prior to its use in decision-making in the planning and development process. EIA includes predictions of how the environment is expected to change if certain alternative actions are implemented and advice on how best to manage environmental changes if one alternative is selected and implemented. As used here environment includes the physical, biological, economic, health, and socio-cultural context of human activities. The relevant concepts are well developed and are described in a variety of publications on the subject.

(b) Measurement Methods: Consult national legislation and determine whether it contains an EIA requirement.

(c) The Indicator in the DSR Framework: Mandated EIA indicates a government policy Response to integrate environment and development to minimize adverse environmental impacts of socioeconomic development activities.

(d) Limitations of the Indicator: The Yes/No measurement simply indicates that the legislation requires EIA. It does not necessarily imply implementation of EIA and therefore this should be considered as a first step in the process of using EIA as an indicator of sustainable development.

Mandated EIAs can differ in degree of detail and scope. For instance some EIA legislation is limited to projects whilst others can extend to cover policy, plans and programmes. EIA can be applied during planning, implementation, operation and closure of activities. EIA legislation can be expressed as part of a framework/general environmental law or as the subject of specific legislation.

A number of countries base their EIA procedures on policy provisions rather than legally binding instruments. This indicator does not allow for such procedures and therefore may not adequately reflect a country's commitment to EIA.

(e) Alternative Definitions: An alternative indicator would focus on measuring the implementation of the recommendations of EIAs. This obviously involves a lot more research to acquire the data.

5. Assessment of the Availability of Data from International and National Sources

(a) Data Needed to Compile the Indicator: The existence or absence of national legislation.

(b) Data Availability: Data are available for all countries.

(c) Data Sources: National government departments (for example, Attorney General's office, environment ministry), and libraries.

6. Agencies Involved in the Development of the Indicator

a) Lead Agency: The lead agency is the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The contact point is the Director, Division of Environmental Assessment, UNEP; fax no.(254 2) 62 42 74.

(b) Other Organizations: Other interested parties include national EIA agencies; and the Network for Environment and Sustainable Development in Africa (NESDA).

7. Further Information

(a) Further Reading:

UNEP. EIA Sourcebook (forthcoming).

International Institute for Environment and Development. A Directory of Impact Assessment Guidelines. ISBN: 0 905347 99 4

FAO. EIA legislation: Evaluation des impacts sur l'environnement pour un developpement rural durable: etude juridique. ISBN: 92 5 2034935.

UNEP. UNEP's New Way Forward: Environmental Law and Sustainable Development (forthcoming).

UNEP. Compendium of EIA Legislation for Developing Countries. UNEP/ELI-PAC (forthcoming).

UNEP. EIA - A Guide to Good Practice. UNEP/EEU (forthcoming).

(b) Other Contacts:

Chief, UNEP EEU; fax no. (254 2) 624 268.

Canadian International Development; fax no. (1 819) 953 3348.

Environment Protection Agency of Australia; fax no. (61 6) 274 1666 .

Director, Environmental Assessment Effectiveness Study, Canada; fax no. (1 604) 477 8752 or (1 819) 953 2891.

Director, Environmental Planning Group, International Institute for Environment; fax no. (44 171) 388 2826.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); fax no. (33 1) 4524 1996 or 4524 1650.

Coordinator, Environmental Assessment Service, The World Conservation Union (IUCN); fax no. (41 22) 999 0002.

Coordinator, Network for Environment and Sustainable Development in Africa (NESDA); fax no. (225) 20 5922.

NATIONAL COUNCILS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Institutional	Chapter 8	Response

1. Indicator

(a) Name: National councils for sustainable development.
(b) Brief Definition:
(c) Unit of Measurement: Yes/no.

2. Placement in the Framework

(a) Agenda 21: Chapter 8: Integrating Environment and Development in Decision Making.
(b) Type of Indicator: Response.

(Indicator under development)