1 The EEA/EIONET Information System current applications and further developments relevant for EECCA countries Stefan Jensen

2 The purpose and some general principles: To support all EEA and EIONET activities related to the flows of data and information from countries and other organisations to EEA, through to the assessments and knowledge provided back to the countries. including, to communicate environmental information effectively to Europe´s citizens using the full range of communication channels.

3 Shared EEIS information The vision of s shared European Environmental Information System (EEIS) other countries Users Shared EIONET information Information Infrastructure European Union EEA, Eurostat EEA Member countries Policy makers, Env. experts, Media, Informed public User access shared tools e.g. Reportnet tools EECCA countries International Organisations, Conventions e.g. UNEP, UNECE, OECD, Basel Conv.

4 The EEA/EIONET information system

5 National systems Dissemination Availability Data collection IT / Integration Data handling Production Data Information Knowledge Products and services The EEA information handling

6 Future trends: Extended communication channels From “Report producer” to a producer of a wide range of products and services New type of products (Short briefings targeted to key clients – with the underpinning information and data being accessible through the web site) More focus on the general public Products for younger audience (multimedia) Local (“What’s in your backyard?”) information

7 Issues to be adressed around environmental information provision 1.Framing content through environmental indicators / obligations 2.Identfying systems and tools 3.Common standards and interfaces

8 1.Framing content: INDICATORS The purpose of a core set of indicators to provide a stable and manageable basis for indicator reporting by EEA (EEA Signals) to prioritise improvements in data quality from countries to European level to streamline contributions to other indicator initiatives (eg structural indicators) in doing so, to strengthen environmental dimension alongside economic and social dimensions

9 1st phase  July 2002: 400 indicators relevant to policy objectives and distributed across DPSIR 2nd phase.  May 2003: 350 indicators relevant to policy objectives and distributed across DPSIR 3rd phase.  February 2004: 37 indicators relevant to policy targets and data availability The history of the Core set of indicators

10 Number of indicators per topic Air quality (6) Ozone depletion (1) Climate change (4) Biodiversity (4) Terrestrial (2) Water (7) Waste 2) > What is an appropriate indicator set for EECAA countries ? Agriculture (2) Energy (5) Fishery (3) Transport (3) Total: 37

11 1.Framing content: OBLIGATIONS The purpose of the Reporting obligation database (ROD) To assist in the analysis of member countries reporting obligation burden To support member countries in planning and fulfilling reporting obligations To assist in streamlining the flow of data to EEA as a part of REPORTNET

12 What can ROD be used for? Due dates for reporting obligations Countries participating in a reporting obligation The “report to” organisation The legislative framework deliveries made to the Reportnet central data repository > What is necessary content for EECCA reporting (e.g. conventions)?

13 ROD deadlines

14 2. Information system/services to share: Environmental monitoring and data reporting incl. harmonisation aspects > Reportnet e.g. Free access to general environmental information provided by countries > SERIS Web services for the public > EPER (Emmission polluting facilities) OZONEWEB (National ozone levels)

15 Reportnet - What are the goals? Improve European environmental reporting by: Streamlining Quality improvement Ensuring Transparency and availability of information reported by countries

16 policy relevant Agreed QA/QC standards Harmonised collection Transparent and open source system Provide once use for many purposes EEA information principles

17 Reportnet – a system to share with others 4 out of of 14 EIONET priority data flows are exclusive Open Reportnet system architecture 130 reporting obligations in ROD EEA reports (e.g. Kiev report) use information from other resources > A place for EECCA country data to be used in pan-European reports

18 The Reportnet “football”

19 Reportnet services… A set of integrated services for EEA and others (Calendar of dataflows, EEA in ROD) Public web services > to be used by others ( ) Open systems (EPER uses ROD, CDR, etc) Data exchange with other distributed systems [XML RPC, RSS, RDF, etc] (Ex. reporting deadlines in calendar on ETC websites)

20 SERIS State of the environment reports information system An offer for countries to register the (meta)data of their relevant state of the environment reports > A way to reference main European reports (including EECCA countries) at one place (they do not have to physically be there)

21 3. Common standards and interfaces (I) Metadata standards (available) CDS Model, DublinCore, ISO11179 Environmental data standards (less available) Spatial data standards (INSPIRE initiative)

22 e.g. Data standards (normative specifications)

23 3. Common standards and interfaces (II) Technology standards E.g. XML, web services

24 Same issues for this EECCA cooperation What do we want to share? -Metadata, reports,(monitoring)data, indicators? Which common services do we want to have? -A shared place for data and information? -Several shared places based on the content? -A distributed architecture of information providers? Where do we like to apply common standards?