IWG-Env Subgroup on Water Statistics

Projects and Activities 2006-2007

Background

• Request from the International Work Session on Water Statistics (IWSWS), Vienna, 2005 for IWG-Env to address issues identified by the IWSWS

• IWG-Env formed the Subgroup on Water Statistics

• IWG-Env agreed to a work programme for the subgroup

Members of the IWG-Env SWS

• UNSD• FAO• Eurostat• UNEP• GEMSWater• OECD

IWG-Env SWS

• UNSD is the secretariat• The work of the group is mainly conducted

by members bilaterally on issues of common interest – e.g. data collection harmonisation

IWG-Env SWS - Projects1. Water statistics classifications (UNSD, FAO, Eurostat)Work out a comparison and concordance of water related terms and

questionnairesDiscuss and resolve existing conflicts and overlaps in definitions.Develop a standard codification for water data.

2. International water data collections (UNSD, FAO, OECD/Eurostat)Discuss and resolve existing conflicts and overlaps in data collection

3. Metadata guidelines (UNEP & Eurostat)Test the feasibility of harmonized metadata guidelines for environment statistics in the area of water statistics

4. Water coefficients (UNSD, FAO)Assess the feasibility of providing estimation methods and/or default coefficients that can be used to derive water data from existing data

5. Water quality methodology (GEMSWater & UNSD)Assess methods for aggregating or otherwise progressing from individual measurements of water quality to useful statistics

6. Training materials – DiscontinuedContribute to the preparation of training materials

Project 1 – ClassificationsUNSD/FAO/Eurostat

Reviewed terms and definitions and data collections

UNSD

List of variables

List of indicators

(will serve as input in MOWSA)

Lists of consistent and different terms and definitions

Project 2 – Data CollectionsIWG-Env SWS Meeting Sept 2006, outcomes:• Only UNSD/UNEP, OECD/Eurostat and FAO

collect water resources and abstraction data regularly from countries (regional offices sometimes conduct one off data collections)

• OECD/Eurostat and UNSD/UNEP already coordinate data collection activities

UNSD and FAO:• Comparison of data collections (October 2007)• Recommendations on harmonisation (December

2007)

Project 3 – Testing Metadata Guidelines

IWG-Env SWS

Test metadata guidelines

Recommendations

UNEP/Eurostat

Made a comparison of metadata guidelines:

- ISO(19115),

- Eurostat/SDDS

- UNEP/GEO

- SDMX.

Drafted metadata Guidelines

Report back experiences

UNEP/Eurostat

Compile report on metadata guidelines

Project 4 – CoefficientsUNSD/FAO

FAO have provided two FAO papers titled:- “Key water resources statistics in AQUASTAT: FAO’s Global Information System on Water and Agriculture”-“Estimation of water use for irrigated agriculture: the AQUASTAT methodology”.

UNSD

Collecting coefficients (please provide us with any you have)

Currently drafting text on the use of coefficients for MOWSA (??)

Project 5 – Water Quality Methods• UNEP-GEMSWater and UNSD have started drafting a

paper on aggregate freshwater quality statistics for the ambient environment.

• Sources for the paper include:– SEEAW (Section 2)– Development and use of global water quality indicators and

indices (UNEP GEMSWater workshop report)– River quality assessment system in France (L.C. Oudin)

• The paper introduces the subject of water quality statistics, the methods available to countries looking to develop such statistics (accounts, indicators and indices), country practices, classification issues and a comparison of advantages and disadvantages.

• Please provide UNSD with any examples of water quality statistics from your country

IWG-Env SWS to do…• Classifications

– UNSD make recommendations on water statistics classifications– SWS provide comments on recommendations (early 2008)

• Data collections– UNSD and FAO complete paper comparing data collections (Oct

2007)– UNSD and FAO make recommendations on harmonising data

collections (Dec 2007)• Metadata guidelines

– UNEP and Eurostat provide metadata guidelines for testing to SWS

– UNEP and Eurostat compile comments on the application of metadata guidelines to produce a final report on the recommended metadata guidelines (Dec 2007)

IWG-Env SWS to do…

• Coefficients– UNSD makes an analysis of the various

coefficients (mid 2008)• Water quality methodology

– Complete paper on water quality methods (lead agency: GEMSWater, not a current UNSD priority, as resources and priorities allow)

Contact Details

Jeremy WebbEnvironmental StatisticianUnited Nations Statistics DivisionNew York 10017 USARoom DC2 1410Phone: +1 212 963 8564Fax: +1 212 963 0623 Email: webbj@un.orgWebsite:http://unstats.un.org/unsd/environment/default.htm