Statistics and Indicators

The purpose of environment statistics is to assess the biophysical world ignored by conventional human-centred social and economic statistics. Interaction between environment and economy requires linking all categories of statistics in a common framework or system. A proposed Framework for Statistical Integration (FSI) (at the centre of Fig. 4.1) suggests organizing stock and flow data from the main statistical systems under common information categories.

Compiling all these data at the same time would generate an information overload for decision-makers. The purpose of selecting indicators that are representative of sustainability concerns is to reduce this load to a manageable level. The preference of policymakers, public media and the general public for ‘nutshell’ information produced short lists of key or core indicators, and what appears to be now the surrogate for the environment – global warming. The question is: do these indicators (or indicator) really tell the sustainability story?