International Recommendations for
Water Statistics (IRWS) –
Process leading to the publication
Third Meeting of the
United Nations Committee of Experts on
Environmental-Economic Accounting
(New York, 26-27 June 2008)
1
Background
• The 38th Session UN Statistical Commission
adopted the SEEAW as an interim international
statistical standard in March 2007
• A SEEAW implementation strategy was developed
subsequent to it adoption.
• A draft was discussed at the 2nd UNCEEA Meeting
• The final strategy was included in the UNCEEA
report to the 39th Session of UN Statistical
Commission. See paragraphs 44-60.
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/doc08/2008-25EnvEcoAccounting-E.pdf
SEEAW, IRWS and compilation
guidelines
• The IRWS is being developed by UNSD in
accordance with the SEEAW implementation
strategy
• The IRWS will provide material to enable
countries to produce the SEEAW standard tables,
fill in international questionnaires and derive
commonly used water indicators
• After IRWS is completed more detailed
compilation guidelines can be prepared as part of
a knowledge-based platform, building on the
existing material and the UNSD website (e.g. the
searchable archive).
Outline
PART I
Chapter 1: Introduction.
Chapter 2: Main concepts and the SEEAW
Chapter 3: Economic units
Chapter 4: Data items
PART II
Chapter 5: Indicators
Chapter 6: Data sources and compilation methods
Chapter 7: Data collection strategy
Chapter 8: Data quality and metadata
Chapter 9: Dissemination
ANNEXES
Annex 1: Supplementary data items
Annex 2: Link between data items and the SEEAW
Annex 3: Link between data items and indicators
Annex 4: Data quality assessment framework Dissemination
Data items
• Physical data items
• Inland water resource stocks
• Flows of water into and out of the territory
• Natural transfers between inland water resources
• Flows of water from the environment to the economy
• Flows of water within the economy
• Flows of water from the economy to the environment
• Losses in distribution
• Flows of waterborne emissions within the economy
• Flows of waterborne emissions from the economy to the
environment
• Monetary data items
• Economic flows related to water supply and sewerage
• Water supply and sewerage infrastructure
• Cost of water supply and sewerage (for own use)
• Tariffs and charges for water supply and sewerage
• Population data items
• Type of water supply
• Type of toilet and sewerage disposal
• Population killed or affected by flooding
Timetable
2008 July – August
1st Draft circulated by UNSD for review
by reference group
2008 August – September
2nd Draft circulated by UNSD in
preparation for an Expert Group
Meeting
2008 October
Expert Group Meeting
2008 November – December
3rd Draft prepared
2008 December –
2009 January
3rd Draft circulated for global
consultation
2009 February
3rd Draft and comments on it submitted
to UNSC for review upon
recommendation of UNCEEA
2009 March – May
Final Draft prepared
2009 May
Final Draft submitted to Bureau of
UNSC for adoption upon
recommendation by the Bureau of
UNCEEA
Questions to UNCEEA:
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Does the UNCEEA agree with the proposed scope and
coverage of the IRWS [Section B]?
Does the UNCEEA agree with the proposed structure of
the IRWS into 2 parts, Part I, covering the international
recommendations and Part II providing implementation
guidelines on data sources, data quality, data collection
strategies, data storage, data editing and dissemination
[paragraph 7 and Annex I]?
Does the UNCEEA agree with the proposed process for
the completion of the IRWS [Section C]?
Does the UNCEEA agree with the proposed time
schedule for the completion and adoption of the IRWS
[Table 1]?