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Second Interim Report of France for the Testing of the CSD Indicators of Sustainable Development
November 1997

The following presents an extract from the second interim report, prepared by the French Institute for the Environment (IFEN), containing the Introduction as well as Annex 2 and Annex 4. The Introduction includes references to other annexes from the report which are not available on this web site. Information on these annexes can be obtained by contacting IFEN:

Mr. Thierry Lavoux (Head of Department)
Head of Department "Studies and Synthesis"
French Institute for the Environment
61 Bd Alexandre Martin, 45 058 ORLEANS - FRANCE
Tel.:   33.2.38.79.78.78
Fax.:   33.2.38.79.78.70
E-mail: thierry.lavoux@ifen.fr

Introduction

The CSD indicator testing in France started in April 1997 with IFEN (French Institute for the Environment) as National Focal Point, and the Ministry of the Environment as the Coordinating organization.

The testing process was carried out in two phases :

Methodological and Technical test :

a first working group was consulted to compare the methodology sheets with the definitions and the calculation methods traditionally used in France. The experts were also supposed to evaluate the quality of the methodology sheets.

Policy Relevance Test :

a second working group was asked to evaluate the relevance and usefulness of the list of indicators for the decision-makers related to national context and priorities.

To help the experts through the process, standardized questionnaires have been elaborated by IFEN and the Ministry of the Environment, based on the guidelines provided by the DPCSD.

Implementation of the Technical Test 

  1. Technical Questionnaire

    A  Technical questionnaire  (see annex 1) was elaborated, reviewing the different sections of the methodology sheets. It is constituted of four parts :

    1. Indicator
    2. Data
    3. Evaluation of the data collection organization
    4. Overall assessment of the methodology sheet

    The purpose of the first part of the questionnaire is to identify the indicators already used in France among the CSD list, and to highlight the differences existing between national definitions and U.N. specifications. When other indicators close to the subject are used regularly in France, experts are invited to give the corresponding definitions. A first analysis of the relevance of indicators is required here. Questions of the second part focus on the availability and reliability of the data needed for each indicator. In the third part, an evaluation of the performance of the data collection and implementation agency is required. In the last part, experts are asked to give an overall assessment of the technical information provided by the methodology sheets, and to propose modifications or additional precisions.
  2. Statistical Experts

    The Indicator methodology sheets and questionnaires attached (one for each indicator) were distributed to statistical experts, according to their fields of interest. The experts were selected for their knowledge of the different fields tackled by the sustainable development indicators. Most of them belong to the national institutions in charge of data collection, compilation and analysis, in economic, social and environmental spheres. The following organizations were consulted (see the complete list of organisms in annex 2) :

    • French Commission on Sustainable Development
    • Ministry of the Environment
    • Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
    • Ministry of Industry
    • Ministry of Equipment, Transports, Settlement and Tourism
    • Ministry of the National Education and Research
    • Ministry of Health
    • INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economical Studies)
    • ADEME (Agency for Environment and Energy Control)
    • INRA (National Institute for Agricultural Research)
    • CITEPA (Technical Interprofessional Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies)
    • ENITA (National Insitute for Agricultural Engineering)
    • METEO FRANCE (National Institute for Meteorology)
    • IFREMER (French Research Institute for Sea Exploitation)
    • AURIF (Institute for Urban planning of the Ile-de-France Region)
    • National Park of Les Ecrins
    • IFEN (French Institute for the Environment).

    INSEE provided help for the coordination of this part of the testing process.

  3. Agenda

    The sheets and questionnaires were sent in April 97, to the statistical experts. About 100 answers out of 134 have been returned to IFEN so far. It is expected that this part of the testing process will be achieved by the end of November, so as to compile the results by the end of the year.

Implementation of the Political Relevance Test 

  1. Political Questionnaire

    To facilitate the implementation of this second phase of the testing process, IFEN partially translated the methodology sheets. Only the main paragraphs of the sheets corresponding to the relevance aspects of the indicator (« Definition » and « Significance/Policy Relevance ») were translated, so as to limit the translation burden and provide more synthetic information to the experts. The summarized and translated sheets were compiled in a document (« Traduction abrégée du Livre Bleu ») which is attached to this report in annex 3.  It was decided to address the whole document to the different experts selected for this part of the test, so as to give them an overview of the list of indicators. Experts were requested to select the indicators they want to comment on and send back their remarks and proposals.

  2. Political Experts

    One hundred experts were chosen from: (see complete list in annex 4)

    • the French Commission on Sustainable Development,
    • the Interministerial Group, which was created to promote implementation of sustainable development in the French Administration,
    • the scientific community,
    • the Non Governemental Organizations involved in environment or development.
    For each indicator, the main task of this second expert group is to evaluate the relevance and the usefulness of the list of indicators for the decision-makers, regarding national objectives of Sustainable Development. Experts are invited to identify the priorities and the information gaps, and to make proposals. Guidelines for the expertise were provided to the experts with the translated document (see a copy of this note in annex 5).
  3. Agenda

    The document with guidelines for expertise attached were sent in early September. We hope to receive the answers by the end of November, in order to compile the results of the 2 phases of the test by the end of the year. At the same time, it is anticipated to set up a seminar with experts involved in the testing procedure, to validate the first annual report.

Elaboration of the First Annual Report

We hope to present the First Annual Report to the DPCSD at the beginning of 1998. The structure of the first substantive progress report will follow the Guidelines for National Testing, as approved by the Second International Workshop (Ghent, November 1996), and the format provided by the DPCSD in may 1997.

As requested, the structure of the report will distinguish :

  • an overall assessment of the indicator menu, organization and methodology sheets,
  • an assessment of the individual indicators, compiling, in the Indicator Report Sheet, the results of the tests : technical test and political test.

A model of Indicator Report Sheet adapted for the French testing process is presented in annex 6.

First results and lessons learnt in the testing procedure

Such a complex procedure, with two testing phases, requires an important follow up, but it is useful to provide a complete evaluation of the different aspects of indicators :

  1. Statistical and methodological aspects : definition and calculation methods, data availability and reliability, data sources and information systems existing,
  2. Policy relevance and usefulness of the indicators, and integration in decision making processes.

The first phase of the test enabled the identification of three groups of indicators :

  • a first group of indicators regularly used and published in France (e.g. most of the economic indicators on the list),
  • a second group of indicators not calculated but which data are available (especially in the social field)
  • a third group, where implementation implies gathering data from distinct information systems or to create new data bases (e.g. some environmental and institutional indicators on the list).

The first results of the political test are leading to a pre-selection of the indicators corresponding to national priorities ; they also highlight key national issues which are lacking in the CSD working list.

Twinning with Tunisia

The twinning process with Tunisia is starting now. A launch meeting is planned in December in Tunisia, where IFEN, in association with the Blue Plan, will present the first results of the exercice in France, to the institutions concerned. The modalities of the implementation of the testing procedure in Tunisia will be discussed as well.

National work on Sustainable Development

  • French Commission on Sustainable Development

The French Commission on Sustainable Development published in December 1996 a report presenting proposals for a sustainable development strategy.

  • IFEN

Parallel to the testing of the CSD indicators, IFEN is leading a national project on indicators of sustainable development, whose objectives are the integration of the different dimensions of sustainable development, according to national priorities. Three working groups have been constituted, gathering scientific experts representing the various economic, social and environmental fields. This programme is just beginning. A report presenting the selection of indicators and the main conclusions will be published at the end of 1998.

Work Agenda

  • March 1997 :
    Launching the testing process
  • April-May :
    Elaboration and sending of the technical questionnaire
  • July-August :
    Follow-up letters to statistical experts
    Translation in abbreviated form of the « Blue Book »
  • September :
    Sending the translated document to political experts
  • October :
    Compilation of the responses to technical questionnaire
  • November :
    Compilation of the responses to political questionnaire
  • December :
    Elaboration of the First Annual Report
    Launching meeting in Tunisia
  • January 1998 :
    Validation of the First Annual Report in a National seminary

Additional Reports