Environmental indicator

An environmental indicator is a methodological construct that relies on measurable surrogate measures ( indican ) to describe an otherwise elusive environmental facts ( the Indicandum ).

Approaches to definition

For the term environmental indicator a number slightly divergent definitions have been developed in recent years.

• "Under one indicator is generally understood to a parameter that is used to describe the state of a system. " ( Walz et al. 1997)
• Indicators are relatively easily detectable, meaningful command variables for otherwise difficult to characterize complete systems, eg Ecosystems or landscapes. (see Bastian & Scheiber 1999)
• "Indicators are in principle characteristics ( eg physical quantities, unit values ​​, ... ) to represent or illustrate the condition of a larger, often complex system representative. " ( ICLEI 1998)
• Indicators are metrics that provide as deputy sizes for complex structure as simple and understandable a status report on the quality of a situation. (see Pfister et al. 1997)
• "This is why indicators should ... be generally defined as parameters that the figure ... a certain, not directly measurable and often complex facts ( Indicandum ) are determined. " ( Sandhövel 1999)

Barkmann drew these approaches together in 2004 to a formulation which emphasizes the property of an environmental indicator as a methodological construct ( see introduction of this article).

Different approaches

The OECD established in the 1980s, an approach for documenting the environmental status in the member countries. This so-called PSR approach ( P: Pressure, S: State, R: Response) intention is not to provide comparable data for the improvement of environmental policy. The PSR approach was thus from the outset more an instrument for environmental policy as a scientific analysis system. This approach assumes that human activities exert pressure ( Pressure) and environmental condition ( state) change. Another area indicators to represent the work carried out ( response) for the direct or indirect improvement of the environmental situation.

The European Environment Agency ( European Environment Agency, EEA short ) expanded the PSR approach to two other areas to DPSIR approach. Here cause or intensify the economic driving forces (D: Drivers) first, the load factors. The change in state of the environment has in turn both socio -economic as well as biophysical impacts ( I: Impacts ).

Examples of environmental indicators

Typical environmental indicators concern, for example, the degree of soil erosion, developed and paved areas, particulate pollution, water quality or water consumption.

Conservation

In Nature Protection Ecological indicators are used for example to detect the ecological status, the ecological development or new development potential of an area. In land use planning very detailed representations can be used to examine the threat of individual animal and plant species, and to develop necessary compensatory measures.

Environmental reporting

Environmental indicators can provide to supplement the qualitative environmental reporting comparative figures ready to show successes, conditions and unresolved problems of the environmental policy of a country or a city. When used in environmental reporting no individual bio-indicators are usually used, but whole systems of indicators. The change in an environmental indicator over the years is often represented as a time series in order to easily read developments.

From the overall analysis with other indicators - such as from the transport sector, the number of cars or the ratio between motorized transport and public transport ( modal split ) - can further statements are made. This overall assessment is used sometimes to represent a ranking between cities and regions to stimulate a competition in environmental policy. The award of the title of European Green Capital is an example of this competition.

Sustainability indicators

Together with indicators of social and economic (and possibly institutional ) issues environmental indicators form a core component of the sustainability indicators. In 2001, the United Nations has issued a set of sustainability indicators. For several years, the EEA is the Environmental Signals out together, the indicators of certain economic and environmental sectors and partly are also available in German language. In 2004, a common set of 24 environmental indicators of sustainability ( environmental indicators ) was in Germany from the Conference of Environment Ministers ( UMK ) decided the federal and state governments, will be published on the since 2006 approximately every two years, an experience report.