Working paper no.2/Rev.1
5 May 2015
Economic Commission for Europe
Committee on Environmental Policy
Group of Friends of the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS)
Second meeting
Geneva, 11 May 2015
Item 4 of the provisional agenda
Organizing and shaping the regular environmental assessment process
Regular environmental assessment process based on the
Shared Environmental Information System1
Note by the secretariat
I. Introduction
1.
Environmental governance, in order to be meaningful and informed, needs to be
supported by integrated assessments. Such assessments combine and interpret data,
information and knowledge from across a wide variety of themes and sectors. They can
facilitate understanding of the state of the environment and of environmental trends, as well
as of progress towards agreed policy goals. They can also be used as a basis to develop
scenarios and identify emerging issues.
2.
To carry out the relevant policy analyses and interpretation in support of
environmental governance, integrated assessments use, among other tools, indicators and
scenarios, both underpinned by reliable data.
3.
The preparation of integrated assessments is dependent, therefore, upon the
availability of reliable and regularly updated data and information that constitute a
knowledge base. At the same time, assessments also contribute to the knowledge base.
II. Background and mandate
4.
Integrated assessments, whether addressing the environment as a whole or specific
theme, have been generated over the past 20 years at different levels of governance: global,
regional, subregional, national and subnational.
5.
Their preparation was often challenging and, in some cases, ineffective, in particular
at regional and global levels, but often also at the subregional and national levels. The main
reasons for this were:
(a)
The lack of reliable, timely, relevant, easily accessible, comparable and upto-date data and information to support the analyses of the assessments;
1
This paper was not formally edited.
Working paper no.2/Rev.1
(b)
Insufficient cooperation and exchange of information between the
stakeholders leading to various assessment processes being carried out often at the same
governance level, which resulted in a duplication of effort and unawareness about existing
information elsewhere.
6.
The ministers of the environment from the pan-European region present at the
Seventh Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference (Astana, 21–23 September 2011)
recognized the challenge and decided to address it. They committed to establish a regular
process of environmental assessment for the pan-European region2 and that such should be
based on the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) — an approach that, with
the support of modern technologies such as the Internet, would link all existing data and
information flows relevant at the country and international levels in support of the regular
environmental assessment process.
7.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Committee for
Environmental Policy (CEP) has been overseeing the efforts taken in the pan-European
region to establish a regular environmental assessment process and to develop SEIS. CEP
decided to establish a coordination mechanism for SEIS development across the entire ECE
region in the form of a Group of Friends of SEIS and entrusted the Group to work on two
issues:
(a)
The preparation of clear targets and performance indicators to monitor and
evaluate the development of SEIS in the pan-European region;
(b)
The organization and shaping of the regular environmental assessment
process taking into consideration the benefits of SEIS (ECE/CEP/2013/2, paras. 38–39).
8.
Accordingly, targets and performance indicators have been adopted by CEP at its
twentieth session in October 2014 (ECE/CEP/2014/2)3, based on the proposal made by the
Group of Friends of SEIS. They can facilitate the monitoring, development and operation of
the pan-European SEIS overseen by the ECE Working Group on Environmental
Monitoring and Assessment (WGEMA), which has been mandated with this task. However,
the second issue identified above — the organization and shaping of the assessment process
— is still outstanding. It should thus be addressed by the Group of Friends of SEIS at their
second meeting.
9.
The current paper was prepared to support the discussion by the Group in shaping
the regular assessment process taking into consideration the benefits of SEIS. It elaborates
on SEIS in action in the pan-European region, as it is shaped by WGEMA, through
agreeing on its data and information content in support of the integrated assessments. The
paper also makes a proposal on how to regularize the assessment process based on SEIS.
10.
The Group of the Friends of SEIS is invited to consider this paper and to make a
proposal to CEP on how to organize and shape the regular environment assessment process
for the pan-European region taking into consideration the benefits of SEIS. The CEP
Bureau will consider a revised draft of this paper (resulted from the current meeting of the
Friends of SEIS) and will provide comments and guidance to the Friends of SEIS and the
secretariat with a view to finalise the paper for the CEP meeting in October 2015.
2
3
Pan-European region under the Environment for Europe Process cover the full membership of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), i.e. 56 ECE member States.
The report is under preparation based on the summary of outcomes adopted by CEP
(www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/cep/CEP-20/CEP-20_Decisions_approvedCEP_edited_e.pdf).
Working paper no.2/Rev.1
III. SEIS in action
11.
SEIS, as an approach to link relevant data and information in support of integrated
assessments, make the agreed data and information easily available and accessible on-line.
12.
For the pan-European region, WGEMA is defining the data and information content
to be made available and accessible as part of the pan-European SEIS. While the content
remains a work in progress, WGEMA agreed at its sixteenth session (Istanbul, 16–17 April
2015) that the data and information in the pan-European SEIS should allow the
measurement of progress towards the agreed global and regional priorities in line, as
relevant, with the global and regional Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). The
agreed priorities are such as: air pollution, climate change, chemicals and waste,
biodiversity, freshwater, land and soil, energy and green economy.
13.
WGEMA further agreed on a first pan-European SEIS development milestone
including 67 specific data sets that any country in the pan European region should aim to
make available and accessible on-line during 2015. These refer to the following priorities:
air pollution and ozone depletion (25 data sets), climate change (4 data sets), water (20 data
sets), biodiversity (4 data sets), land and soil (2 data sets), energy (4 data sets) and waste (8
data sets). WGEMA is expected to agree on additional data sets for implementation in
subsequent years with the aim to fully establish the pan-European SEIS by 2020, based on
SEIS targets and performance indicators. In this process, WGEMA takes into account the
developments at various levels of governance to make the data fully compatible across
those levels, e.g. the review of priority data flows undertaken at the subregional level by the
European Environment Agency (EEA) and its Eionet network.
14.
Every specific data set should be accompanied with information explaining the data
production methodology4 and the interpretation of the data. The data need to be up-to-date
for the latest production period and indicate sources of additional information.
15.
WGEMA is supported by the ECE secretariat 5 and EEA.6 The two organizations,
working in tandem, help to review the on-line availability and accessibility of data and
information provided by the countries in the pan European region under SEIS, 7 and thus
help to ensure that the pan-European SEIS is managed effectively by the countries in
accordance with the SEIS targets and performance indicators. The two organizations, in
cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), also help to ensure
that the data and information are compatible with those produced and shared at the other
three governance levels: global, subregional and national.
16.
The pan-European SEIS is active and is organizing, regularizing and coordinating
the pan-European environmental knowledge base. It is expected to be fully operational by
2020, and has the aim to offer extensive data and information for the generation of
assessments, whether for the environment as a whole or for thematic areas. It would
therefore be available to underpin environmental policy development in the pan European
region and the identification of emerging issues at the regional level, as well as providing
4
5
6
7
This information allows the user to understand whether the available data are produced in accordance
with agreed international practices and are comparable.
For the countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia and other pan-European countries not
being part of EEA Eionet network.
For Eionet network as orchestrated by EEA.
The reporting mechanism through which pan-European countries would evaluate their performance in
developing and operating the pan-European SEIS is under development. The mechanism is based on
the SEIS targets and performance indicators. The concept for the mechanism foresees that the
countries evaluations are reviewed by ECE and EEA.
Working paper no.2/Rev.1
the regional input to global processes. The pan-European SEIS would also contain the data
necessary for reporting to MEAs.
IV. The organization and shaping of a regular process of
environmental assessment, based on SEIS, to keep the panEuropean environment under review
17.
To fulfil the ministers’ decision in Astana to keep the pan-European environment
under review by establishing a regular process of environmental assessment and developing
SEIS across the region, the organization and shaping of such a process would naturally
encompass several layers of environmental (state-of-the-environment and thematic)
assessments, all based on SEIS, as follows:
(a)
The primary layer would include the environmental assessments prepared at
the country level;
(b)
The middle layer would include environmental assessments prepared at the
subregional level;
(c)
The pan-European layer would include environmental assessments prepared
at the regional level.
18.
Preparation of assessments at the country level would be conducted in accordance
with the national legislation in that regard, which should be in compliance with the
provisions of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in DecisionMaking and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters for its Parties. These assessments
would support informed and targeted decision and policy making at the country level.
19.
Preparation of assessments at the subregional level would be conducted as necessary
in line with established practices in a subregion. Such assessments will support informed
discussions and identification of common environmental concerns in a subregion, resulting
in targeted decision and policy making.
20.
Preparation of assessments at the pan-European level would be conducted as
necessary to support regional and global discussions. Such assessments would help identify
common environmental concerns in the region and decide on responses at the regional level
as well as inform the global level.
21.
With an active SEIS at the pan-European level, comparable data and information are
made available and accessible on-line by the countries in the region. These data and
information underpin the production of indicators and the development of scenarios for the
analysis undertaken as part of integrated assessments at the different levels.
22.
The pan-European SEIS thus should enable any individual or organization to
generate an assessment that can help address specific environmental and environmentrelated policy questions and challenges.
23.
All relevant actors and stakeholders are encouraged to use the knowledge
established through the pan-European SEIS to generate additional knowledge in terms of
states and trends and progress towards policy goals, as well to model scenarios and
outlooks. However, it could be ineffective and inefficient if assessments of a similar nature
are prepared in an uncoordinated manner by different groups and communities at the same
governance level. This could be particularly so for assessments to be issued regularly for
the pan-European region and to address the recurrent policy questions and challenges
linked to the region’s environmental priorities.
Working paper no.2/Rev.1
24.
A coordinated approach should therefore be of common interest, given that the
generation of an integrated assessment is a resource-demanding process.
25.
Also, environmental governance in the pan-European region would not benefit from
multiple uncoordinated assessments developed either for the pan-European environment as
a whole (e.g., a pan-European state of the environment assessment) or for a specific
thematic area. Multiple assessments of the same nature might instead confuse policy
development and weaken environmental governance. 8
26.
It could, therefore, be considered logical that the various international groups and
communities mandated to generate similar assessments, in terms of scope and content, are
linked together in assessment networks. In terms of a regular review of the pan-European
environment, it could be seen as recommendable to put in place a regional network of
networks to generate the pan-European assessment. It can also link with the existing
networks dealing with thematic assessment or specific international agendas (e.g., the post2015 development agenda) or their parts related to the environment.
27.
For the review of the pan-European environment, in addition to the national
assessments, there are two regular assessment processes that need to be linked to the panEuropean assessment:
(a)
The EEA-managed sub regional process aimed at assessing Europe’s
environment covering the region of the membership of EEA, i.e. the European Union (EU)
and cooperating countries.9 The EEA state and outlook report is published every five years,
and among other things, feeds into the evaluation of progress achieved by the EU countries
in relation to the EU Environmental Action Programmes. The latest edition, The European
environment — state and outlook 2015 (SOER 2015), was published in March 2015 10.
(b)
The UNEP-managed global process aimed at generation of the Global
Environmental Outlook (GEO) supported by UNEP Live. The preparation of the sixth GEO
edition (GEO-6) was requested by the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA) in
its resolution 1/4 on the science-policy interface. The global assessment is to be based on
the findings of regional assessments of each of the six UNEP regions 11. The regional
assessments are to be based on the established political and institutional processes and
mechanisms that exist in each region and will engage with regional partners and
stakeholders to make maximum use of these in the assessment process. The European GEO
Regional Assessment should be ready for submission to the second meeting of UNEA in
May 2016 and, pending a decision by CEP, would be launched at the Eighth Environment
for Europe Ministerial Conference in Batumi in June 2016. 12 GEO-6 should be launched at
the third meeting of UNEA in 2018.
28.
The EEA-managed assessment process encompasses a subregion with EU-specific
environmental goals and targets that in many cases go beyond common pan-European
commitments. While the EEA SOER assessments are very relevant for the review of the
pan-European environment, a pan-European assessment needs to go beyond this subregion
and to cover issues of relevance for the whole pan-European region. The global GEO
8
9
10
11
12
At the same time, generation of assessments addressing different policy questions but building on the
pan-European SEIS knowledge would enrich the environmental policy development and governance.
Cooperating countries are: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and the South-Eastern European
countries.
The European environment — state and outlook 2015 is available at www.eea.europa.eu/soer
It includes Western, South-Eastern and Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia.
The Regional Environmental Information Network Conference held in Istanbul on 13–15 April 2015
recommended that the ECE secretariat would propose to CEP that the pan-European GEO Regional
Assessment be launched at the Eighth Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference.
Working paper no.2/Rev.1
process is expected to be fed from the regional findings, including those specific to the panEuropean region. The regular review process of the pan-European environment, to
effectively inform the policy development in the region and provide common input to
global developments, should therefore not only be based on national assessments but be
linked to the processes led by EEA and UNEP.
29.
The linking of these three processes (pan-European with GEO and EEA SOER)
should take into account that they are mandated at different governance levels. At the same
time, the recommendations of the GEO process should find their application in the panEuropean region, i.e. regional assessments should be based on political and institutional
processes and mechanisms existing in the region. 13 All of this requires an enhanced
coordination amongst the various governance levels and this exercise provides an
opportunity to encourage this coordination.
30.
In view of the above, the following proposal on establishing the regular process of
environmental assessment of the pan-European environment is made for consideration
firstly by the Friends of SEIS, subsequently by the CEP Bureau and finally by CEP.
(a)
Assessment governance:
(i)
The political oversight of the review of the pan-European environment
would be provided by CEP, which would coordinate its decisions with those taken at
the global level related to environmental assessments, in particular those taken by
UNEA regarding the GEO;
(ii)
To support the pan-European regular process of environmental
assessment, based on the political decision by CEP, WGEMA may serve as the
regional environmental information and assessment network of networks, bringing
together UNEP and EEA/Eionet networks to discuss the regional priorities and
scope for the pan-European assessment;
(iii) WGEMA meetings related to the regular process of assessment of the
pan-European environment would be serviced by ECE in cooperation with UNEP
and EEA.
(b)
Assessment timing:
(i)
The environmental knowledge base in the region would be updated
annually under the pan-European SEIS14. It would be increasing in the period until
2020 when the pan-European SEIS should be fully operational. It would be adjusted
as necessary to include new data and information relevant to policy development
beyond 2020;
(ii)
The European GEO Regional Assessment would be generated in the
beginning of 2016 based on existing data and information. The EEA SOER2015 was
launched in March 2015. It would serve as a major input for generating the pan-
13
14
The Regional Environmental Information Network Conference was organized by UNEP in
cooperation with ECE and involved members of WGEMA in the discussion on the generation of the
pan-European GEO Regional Assessment.
Data and information under the pan-European SEIS are to be updated annually, unless a different
cycle was decided for any particular data flow. The periodicity for the generation of the national
environmental assessment report is individually decided by countries. It should however be in line
with the requirements of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in DecisionMaking and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters.
Working paper no.2/Rev.1
European environmental assessment that, at the same time, should be benefitting
from the increasing environmental knowledge base of the pan-European SEIS;
(iii) The third meeting of UNEA, at which GEO-6 should be launched,
would be organized in 2018. Also, mid-term reviews under the Environment for
Europe process and of the EU seventh Environment Action Programme would be
organized in 2018. An updated pan-European environmental assessment could be
produced in time for the meeting and the mid-term reviews also addressing the
sustainable development goals (SDGs) to the extent possible;
(iv) In 2020, the pan-European SEIS would be fully operational, providing
a comprehensive environmental knowledge base for the region. In addition, the EEA
would produce its SOER2020 to support the EU’s move from the seventh to the
eighth Environmental Action Programme in 2020. This would be the right timing to
generate the next pan-European assessment addressing the relevant policy priorities
and challenges. It could then feed into the discussion of the next Environment for
Europe Ministerial Conference (2021)15 and provide the pan-European input to the
global GEO process;
(v)
The schedule of the regular assessment beyond 2020 would resolve
itself based on the progress and benefits accrued through the process until 2020. Its
cycle should be fully synchronized with the EEA SOER and the GEO process.
31.
WGEMA is well placed to be mandated to provide technical guidance to the regular
environmental assessment process for the pan-European region.
32.
Further, it would be important to generate the pan-European assessment while SEIS
is in development to allow examining whether SEIS serves well its role to support the
preparation of assessments. This would provide the necessary evidence for discussion on
SEIS at the mid-term review of the Environment for Europe process.
33.
It is then evident that the existing technical infrastructure and platforms should be
used to provide one access point to the assessments and their underpinning data and
information produced and shared by pan-European countries under SEIS. UNEP Live,
building on existing infrastructure, could serve as a node linking with available platforms
and provide access to the assessments, the data and information regularly published by
countries. The practice developed by EEA in making its SOER available online can be
useful in this regard.
V. Issues for consideration
34.
The following issues are therefore proposed for consideration by the Group of
Friends of SEIS:
(a)
What should be the shape and organization of a regular process of
environmental assessment, to keep the pan-European environment under review, taking into
account the benefits of SEIS in forming a pan-European environmental knowledge base and
considering the various governance levels and mandates for assessments?
(b)
Is WGEMA the right technical body to coordinate the generation of the
regular environmental assessments for the pan-European region? Could it be mandated to
serve as the regional environmental information network of networks in line with the
15
Subject to decision by CEP.
Working paper no.2/Rev.1
approach taken for the REIN conference organized by UNEP and ECE in Istanbul in April
2015?
(c)
What should be the appropriate timing for a regular pan-European assessment
up to 2020 and beyond?
(d)
How could UNEP Live promote, in the context of cooperation and services
needed by countries, the development and operation of SEIS at the national, subregional
and regional levels to support the process of the regular environmental assessment to keep
the pan-European environment under review?