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Module Core indicator sets
4 Once indicators have been identified, you can further reduce them into core and peripheral sets

of indicators. Core or headline indicators provide clear and straightforward information to decision-

makers and civil society on trends and progress for specific issues. Few in number (<30), core indicators
are sometimes clustered around themes, parameters or dimensions to assist with understanding more
9-12 December, 2013 detailed relationships among different aspects being measured. More detailed, supporting indicators
complex situations. They do not, however, provide a comprehensive picture of the situation, including

may be included in a peripheral set to provide a higher level of detail.

Several “core data/indicator” sets have been developed, mainly differing by geographic scope (i.e.,

country, region, global). Examples are WEHABC Priority Environmental Indicators in West Asia, Arab
Africa Regions, the OECD Key Indicator Set, the EEA Core Data Set, the EU Structural Indicators, the
GEO Core Data Matrix and the UN CSD Theme Indicator Framework. There are several other global
core sets of environmental and sustainable development indicators, but the common aspect among

all of those initiatives is that they attempt to model reality according to a previous agreement among
stakeholders.

Core sets of indicators can also be defined at the regional level, such as the Latin America and Caribbean
Initiative for Sustainable Development (ILAC) . This Initiative has six themes, 26 goals and 32 indicators,
2
and is still under revision by national focal points. Others regions also have core sets of indicators such
as OECD countries, and NAFTA countries, among others (ILAC 2006). Among national initiatives the

headline indicator system of the UK may serve as a useful example, particularly because of attempts
to establish direct links between indicators and the country’s sustainable development strategy. Linking
indicators to mainstream policy mechanisms and instruments, such as strategies, integrated development
plans or budget processes helps realize the potential of indicators as pivotal decision-making, learning

and information tools.

Each year, the list is updated with new indicators, based on the rise and fall of the importance of

global issues. Amidst efforts to ensure data are collected using environmental monitoring, surveying
and remote sensing, there remain many data gaps. Some examples of these gaps include waste disposal
and management, land degradation and urban air pollution (UNEP 2006). Table 1 describes broad
themes, issues and provides detailed information about data variables, lead indicators and lead sources
for the data. The first section of the framework is shown in the text below, and the remainder of the

framework is provided in Appendix A.

2 Approved in November 2003 by the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and Caribbean.

54 Monitoring, Data and Indicators