Environment, Climate Change and Green Economy

Indicators are variables used to measure the achievement of an objective. In the project approach, they are notably used in the project's logical framework. In the sector approach and in general budget support operations, they are used to monitor progress in the achievement of the supported (sectoral or national) programme. From an environmental perspective it is important both to select adequate environmental indicators and also to carefully select non-environmental indicators, which otherwise may promote the pursuit of environmentally damageable objectives. 

Specific indicators
Specific indicators allow diagnosing trends, measuring progress and making cross-country (or corss-regional) comparisons. They focus on specific issues. Useful sources on specififc indicators notably inlcude:

CAIT: Climate Data Explorer, World Resources Institute (WRI)

Environment Statistics by Country, NationMaster

Global Environment Outlook, UNEP

Indicators about Europe's environment, European Environment Agency

Indicators, UN System-Wide Earthwatch

Millenium Development Goals (MDG), UNDP

The Little Green Data Book (World Bank)

UNEP - One Planet Many People

Where is the Wealth of Nations? World Bank

Indices
Comprehensive indices are aggregates of indicators which provide an overall vision of performance or, in the case of the ecological footprint, of the level of pressure on world resources. They provide useful aggregate information, but be aware that their value is sensitive to the choice of weightings for their various components, and they entail a risk of losing sight of specific problems to be solved. Useful information sources notably include:

2005 Environmental Sustainability Index

Ecological Footprint, Global Footprint Network

Pilot 2006 Environmental Performance Index, SEDAC

Methodological approaches
At the level of a country or at smaller scale (sectors, programmes, projects), indicators should be identified on a case by case basis. The following links provide methodological recommendations mainly for country-wide indicators.

Environmental performance reviews: A Practical Introduction, OECD, 1997

UNDESA - Indicators of Sustainable Development

OECD - Environmental indicators, modelling and outlooks

IISD - Consultative Group on Sustainable Development Indicators

Other useful sources 

A Global Directory of Indicator Initiatives, IISD

Environment Statistics Section, UN

Environmental economics and indicators (World Bank)