REPORT
Regional workshop on the EECCA core set of indicators and Guidelines for Methodology of their Preparation for the Eastern European countries was organized by the Center for Environmental Consulting and Auditing (CECA) per request of the Centre of Human Ecology and Environmental Sciences of the University of Geneva (UniGe/CUEN) and in support to UNEP/DEWA/GRID~Europe’s activities in the area of environmental monitoring and reporting. The workshop took place in October 17-19, 2006 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The workshop was aiming at elaboration of a “core set” of environmental indicators, and ultimately in reviewing the “Data Compendium” as a complementary product to the Belgrade Report. The workshop was focused on the following topic areas: water, energy, transport and wastes.
It was expected that the workshop will be attended by the representatives of the Ministries of Environmental Protection and State Committees of Statistics from Moldova, Ukraine, Russian Federation and Belarus. Despite it was expected to host two representatives from each country, only one representative from Russian Federation (Ministry of Environmental Protection) and one from Moldova (National Statistics Bureau) participated in the workshop. Participants from Ukraine represented the following organizations and institutions:
- Ministry of Environmental Protection
- State Water Management Committee
- Council of Productive Forces at the National Academy of Sciences
- State Committee of Statistics
- Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
The list of participants is presented in Annex 1.
The team of trainers consisted with:
· Liubov Gornaja (EU EPA),
· Alexandr Shakhovtsov (UN ECE consultant) and
· Elena Veligosh (UNEP/Grid-Arendal).
The National Focal Points were contacted to ensure that relevant national experts are identified and designated for participation in the workshop. The workshop materials were distributed to the designated participants in advance to ensure appropriate level of preparedness to the workshop. The participant's were requested present during the workshop relevant national statistical information. CECA assisted in elaboration of the workshop’s agenda and translation of relevant information.
In accordance with Memorandum of Understanding and Contract #1/09-06 between CECA and UniGe/CUEN, CECA has provided the full scope of agreed services. It included 1) preparatory work (booking of the hotel and premises for the workshop, communication (email, telephone) with trainers and participants, printing and copying materials for distribution), 2) organization of the workshop (pick up of the participants and trainers, accommodation, logistics, administration of the workshop and technical support including in-line processing and printing materials for distribution, copying, information recovery, etc.) and 3) reporting. Participants of the workshop were supplied with full set of distribution materials. The materials included the EECCA indicators methodology guide, draft fact sheets for selected EECCA indicators and the lists of EECCA indicators.
Travel cost and insurance were fully reimbursed to the participants of the workshop. Accommodation has included meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and lodging. Lodging and conference room for the workshop were located in the premises of “Bratislava” hotel. CECA signed the corporate agreement with the hotel that allowed to receive 10% discount for conference room rent and lodging of the participants.
The following documents were presented for discussion:
· ‘Revised guidelines for the application of environmental indicators in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia’(chapters “Water”, “Wastes”, “Transport” and “Energy”);
· The Belgrade’s Report 2007 draft;
· EECCA environmental data compendium.
The goals of the workshop were the following:
- to discuss the content of the EECCA indicators presented in the Guidelines
- to improve assessments of the indicators for the Belgrade report on the basis of the Guidelines
- to produce partial indicators or provide qualitative assessments for the indicators data sets
- to propose further steps to fill data gaps for development of EECCA indicators
Additional task of the workshop was to present comments and finding of the workshop during the workshop in Donetsk, that was scheduled at the end of October. It was planned that several participants of the workshop will attend the next workshop in Donetsk. It will ensure consistency of performed work. Ukrainian participant expressed an interest to participate in Donetsk meeting and raised an issue of receiving relevant invitations.
Program of the workshop is presented in Annex 2. The workshop consisted from three sessions:
Session I. General overview on the progress of development and use of environmental indicators and reporting systems in EECCA
Session II Assessing EECCA indicators produced on the basis of data available from international sources and selected national sources: definitions, data sources, improvement of assessments
Session III Gap filling for other EECCA environmental indicators
The following issues were addressed in the course of the workshop:
§ Improvement of the EECCA Methodology Guide (draft version) that has been prepared by UNECE through:
1. improving and clarifying definitions;
2. identifying data sources (international or national) to be used for indicators and underlying data sets,
3. agreeing on the use of international data sets for the production of EECCA CSI.
§ Improvement of the analysis undertaken for the Belgrade Report “Environment for Europe: Forth Assessment” with the use of environmental indicators for EECCA CSI. The indicators were determined on the basis of statistical data supplied by the countries and international organizations.
§ Raising competence in the area of application of environmental indicators and development qualitative and quantitative indicators for the Report “Environment for Europe: Forth Assessment”.
§ Elaboration proposals on filling in gaps data required for practical application of environmental indicators in EECCA.
Comments and recommendations to
the ‘Revised guidelines for the application of environmental indicators in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia’
The indicators associated with chapters “Water”, “Wastes”, “Transport” and “Energy” of the “Revised guidelines for the application of environmental indicators in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia” were reviewed and discussed by the participants of the workshop in details. The text of the documents was revised in accordance with received comments. The comments to the reviewed documents were introduced by the workshop participants.
«Water»
Discussed chapter 6 Uptake of freshwaters
In the course of discussion, changes to а) short definition, b) unit of measurement in General Description were proposed.
Discussed chapter 7 Household water consumption per person
In the course of discussion, changes to short definition in General Description were proposed.
It was proposed 1) to exclude index of water consumption per person since the water uptakes for industrial needs brings distortions to given parameter; 2) to include index of water amount/volume that is used for household needs and drinking purposes.
Discussed chapter 8 Water losses
It was agreed that indicator of water losses can not be determined as difference between supplied water and water uptake. The changes to the unit of measurement in General Description were proposed.
Discussed chapter 9 Water recycling and reuse in manufacturing industry.
In the course of discussion, it was decided to exclude specification regarding manufacturing industry. It was also proposed to use indicators on water recycling:
· for particular industries
· for the whole country
Discussed chapter 10 Quality of drinking water
The term “water quality” is not determined. Quantity of samples and sampling sites differ that will bring distortion to the indicator.
Discussed chapter 11 BOD and ammonia nitrogen in the rivers
In the course of discussion, changes were introduced to а) short definition, b) unit of measurement in General Description, c) international agreements and targeted indicators. The problem with access to information data was also admitted by the participants
Discussed chapter 12 Biogenic substances in the fresh water
In the course of discussion, changes were introduced to а) short definition, b) unit of measurement in General Description, and edited c) International agreements and targeted indicators.
Discussed chapter 13 Biogenic substances in the shoaling water
In the course of discussion, changes were introduced to the unit of measurement
Discussed chapter 14 Untreated municipal waste waters
Sewage system in EU differs from such one in EECCA. All wastewaters in EU countries are discharged directly into municipal sewage system. Certain sites in EECCA countries are equipped with separate industrial and housing- communal sewage systems. In the course of discussion, changes were introduced to the title (now it sounds as polluted waste waters) and to data compiling and estimations in the Methodology and Guiding principles and to sub-chapter Information, data sources and reporting.
«Transport»
Discussed chapter 27 Demand for passenger traffic
In the course of discussion, changes were introduced to the title (now it sounds as Demand for passenger turnover) and edited short definition, and unit of measurement.
Discussed chapter 28 Demand for freight services (turnover of goods)
Turnover of goods is related to assessment of materials handling.
Discussed chapter 29 Composition of highway vehicles pool depending on the type of fuel
There is no statistical database in EECCA countries for calculation of this indicator.
Discussed chapter 30. Average age of highway vehicles pool
It was recommended to consider this indicator as medium-term indicator. There is a need to request information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
«Wastes»
Discussed chapter 32 Generation of wastes
Indicator is not finalized. Since unified classification of wastes in EECCA countries does not exist, it is impossible to make comparison between countries.
In the course of discussion, changes were introduced to а) short definition, b) unit of measurement in General Description. It was proposed to edit the definition of goal in Significance for environmental policy and specify data collection and calculations in Methods and guiding principles. It was proposed to substitute term “household wastes” for “solid household wastes”
Discussed chapter 33 Transboundary movement of hazardous wastes
It was proposed to change translation of term “recycling” (Russian version)
Discussed chapter 34 Wastes recycling
It was proposed to change the title of the indicator (proposed title Wastes treatment and reuse) In the course of discussion, changes were introduced to а) short definition, b) unit of measurement in General Description and edited c) International agreements and targeted indicators.
Discussed chapter 35 Wastes disposal
Short definition was edited. It was decided to recommend a group on monitoring to identify a range of indicators that are in use in EU countries for their adaptation in EECCA countries. It is difficult to make comparison between countries since there is no unified classification of wastes.
«ENERGY»
It was agreed that information presented in the chapter can not be properly commented due to the absence of specialists in this area among the workshop participants.
Comments and recommendations to
the Belgrade report
- Observed period in the Belgrade report should be reduced to five years and cover the period from 2000 to 2005 (instead of presented fifteen years starting from 1990) to reflect dynamics of changes after the Kiev conference.
- Strategy of EECCA countries can not be qualified as the document of the same level and value as EU Directives. It is not correct to make comparison between Strategy EECCA countries and EU Directives. It is more reasonable to refer to national strategies rather than to EECCA Strategy.
- Statistics on access to centralized water supply in EECCA countries are not available. Reference to OECD figures or information on centralized water supply presented in the report is to be verified.
- Verified information from countries has to be send along with the reference to the source of information
- Graphics in the Russian version of the report are to be translated into Russian.
- A number of grammatical mistakes require editing
- Many generalizations. Presented information does not reflect current situation. The information, that is the most indicative for particular countries, is to be presented.
- Information of the graphics does not correspond the text
- Terminology is to be unified throughout the text
- Quantitative characteristics rather that qualitative terminology (as “enhance”, “improve”, “good”) should be applied
- Chapters are not structured
- Conclusions, after the comparison of key indicators from EU and EECCA countries, are to be drafted
- Information has to be related to the health data
- Integrated methodologies of assessment of the state of environment and trends in EU and particular countries are to be applied
Comments and recommendations to
the “Data Compendium”
§ In order to fill in gaps presented information and to elaborate additional indicators, UNEP will send the request for additional data supply to the Statistical departments and relevant Ministries
§ Request is to be send in one week
§ In three weeks after the receiving the request from UNEP, information from the countries is to be submitted
The participants agreed that analysis of indicators such as “water uptake”, “turnover of goods”, and “power intensity” is satisfactory, after they are revised in accordance with comments. The particular information that has to be requested from the Ministries of Transport is related to indicator “turnover of goods”. It will allow conducting analysis of dynamics of particular types of transport in general turnover of goods. It was recommended to include indicators “passenger turnover” and “discharges of waste waters”. Due to the absence of required statistical data, it was proposed to exclude the following indicators:
· composition of highway vehicles pool depending on the type of fuel
· average age of highway vehicles pool
· generation of wastes
· transboundary movement of wastes
· wastes treatment and reuse
· wastes disposal
Conclusions
The workshop participants, after the reviewing presented documents:
· made comments how to improve the process of gathering and compiling information
· introduced relevant changes and amendments to the documents
· requested Mr. Shehovtsov to introduce findings and comments of the workshop to the ‘Revised guidelines for the application of environmental indicators in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia’
· requested Ms. Gornaja and Ms. Veligosh to present findings and comments of the workshop to the authors of chapters “Water”, “Wastes”, “Transport” and “Energy”
It was recommended:
· Define and apply common indicators for all EECCA countries
· Elaborate integrated methodology for assessing the state of environment and discovering trends in influences on human heath
· Improve the system of compiling information from EECCA countries (develop data base for EECCA countries, elaborate questionnaire and sign agreement between relevant international organizations and national statistical departments)
Annexes
1. List of participant
2. Agenda of the workshop