Building on the output of the ENPI-SEIS country visits and the follow-up from the Horizon 2020 Review, Monitoring and Research Sub-group meeting held on 30-31 March 2011, the ENPI-SEIS Working Group on Environmental Indicators, established in early 2012, held its first meeting in Barcelona, on April 18th, the day before the H2020 Steering Group Meeting. The objective of the Working Group (WG) on Environmental Indicators is, whilst focusing on selected indicators at the heart of the countries’ pilot exercises to advance on SEIS developments, to also identify and develop an articulated list of potential indicators which could provide a consistent baseline of information from across the region to measure and compare progress made under the Horizon 2020 initiative thus supporting the process of regular reporting on the Mediterranean.
Building on the output of the ENPI-SEIS country visits and the follow-up from the Horizon 2020 Review, Monitoring and Research Sub-group meeting held on 30-31 March 2011, the ENPI-SEIS Working Group on Environmental Indicators, established in early 2012, held its first meeting in Barcelona, on April 18th, the day before the H2020 Steering Group Meeting. The objective of the Working Group (WG) on Environmental Indicators is, whilst focusing on selected indicators at the heart of the countries’ pilot exercises to advance on SEIS developments, to also identify and develop an articulated list of potential indicators which could provide a consistent baseline of information from across the region to measure and compare progress made under the Horizon 2020 initiative thus supporting the process of regular reporting on the Mediterranean.
In order to answer the key H2020 policy question “What is the progress in depolluting the Mediterranean”, a set of policy questions for each of the three thematic areas has been identified together with some indicators. Thanks to the efforts and active involvement of the Working Group members a list of indicators was endorsed by the participants after confirming that the right policy questions have been formulated and suitable indicators have been selected to answer these questions. The selected indicators are:
- Total production of household waste in hydrological basin,
- Collection rate of household waste (coastal) with additional indicators on
- Type of treatment of municipal waste
- Number and localisation of landfill
- Share of population with access to an improved sanitation system (total, urban, rural)
- Volume of waste water collected, of which volume of waste water treated by the public sanitation system with an additional indicator on
- Type of waste water treatment
- Nutrient concentrations in coastal waters (Links with ecosystem approach and MSFD)
- Release of toxic substances and nutrients from industrial sectors
During the WG discussions it was underlined that additional developments and connection with the ENPI-SEIS Working Group on Information Technology and the implementation of the country pilots are required; then an adjusted list together with indicators fact sheet and a draft outline of the regional report is to be submitted and discussed at the RMR sub-group Meeting in June.
Participants were informed about the next steps and key dates: next meeting of the RMR sub-group Meeting (Copenhagen, 4-5 June 2012), second RMR Working Group on Environmental Indicators (10-11 October 2012).
