United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

 http://www.unescap.org

AGENDA 21 CHAPTERS AND PROGRAMME AREAS OF PARTICULAR FOCUS OR INTEREST:
See check list in annex.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF AND LINKS TO INFORMATION ACTIVITIES:

Data Collection, Observation, Monitoring

Data collection is through questionnaires, remote sensing and acquisition of data from other sources. It is gathered directly as well as through other UN system organizations, Governments and NGOs. Please refer to the annex for details of the type of data collected.

Data collection is coordinated by
 1. The ad hoc ACC subcommittee on statistical methods.
 2. Through Earthwatch.
 3. Regional Inter-agency Committee in Asia and the Pacific and its sub-committees.

Methodologies, Quality Control, Harmonization
 ESCAP is implementing a project under which national testing of sustainable development indicators is being conducted in selected countries of the region including India and China. Interest has also been shown by Malaysia, the Maldives and Nepal. A publication is also planned entitled "Towards indicators for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific".
 
 ESCAP promotes and contributes to the international statistical standards and classification through advisory services and technical assistance to countries. It also offers quality control through technical assistance and advisory services to countries. Harmonization is achieved through technical assistance and advisory services to countries.

Technical guidelines and handbooks on collection and analysis of environment and sustainable development statistics are also produced.

Assessment and Analysis
ESCAP conducts regular assessment of the state of environment in the region. A network of national focal points has been developed in the region for this purpose. Guidelines have also been published on the assessment of the state of environment and a state of environment report in Asia and the Pacific is compiled and published every five years. Such reports were published in 1985, 1990 and 1995. A data base is also being developed in collaboration with the UNEP Division of Environmental Information, Assessment and Early Warning.

Areas of assessment/analysis are detailed in Agenda 21: Chapters 2-40 (in particular chapters 2-5, 7-9, 12, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 26-28, 30, 31, 34 and 35-40), and ESCAP cooperates in most of these areas with other related UN System and inter-governmental organizations particularly through the Regional Inter-agency Committee in Asia and the Pacific and its sub-committees.

Graphic and statistical analyses are used to make inter-country comparisons and in depth analyses, documenting and disseminating success stories and lessons from failures.

Indicators

Modelling
Models are developed and promoted. A model was developed and disseminated on industrial location in coastal zones. A document has also been published on sustainable development modelling.

Expert Systems/Decision-support systems
 Promotion of existing expert systems through technical assistance and TCDC.

Early Warning Mechanisms
Cooperating with other international organization in developing indicators to assist in early warning.
 Areas in Social and Economic Dimension of Agenda 21.

Reports/Information dissemination

Dissemination is via publications, newsletters, networks, diskettes, Internet, telecommunication, and response to ad hoc enquiries. Users are Government agencies, research and academic institutions, private sector, NGOs and the public at large; throughout the world (more intensively within Asia-Pacific).
Information dissemination is coordinated by

• Joint development of data-bases, indicators etc.
• Close coordination with related international organizations.
• Regional Inter-agency Committee in Asia and the Pacific and its sub-committees.

For meta-inventory, the ESCAP Statistical Information System (ESIS) is being tested which has a strong component for meta data.
 
Use of information is promoted by user-producer seminars, direct technical assistance, advisory services, meetings and training courses to promote the state of art information.

Information for decision makers includes the production of popular booklets, state of environment reports, Senior Official Meetings, Ministerial Conferences, and inclusion of related topics in other meetings particularly high level inter-governmental meetings.

Network Development and Support
Escap manages the following information:
 1. National Statistical offices.
 2. Ministries of Environment.
 3. National Institutions on Desertification Control.
 4. National Institutions on Marine Environment and Oceanographic studies.
 5. Forum of Environment Journalists.
 6. National Institutions on Energy resources.
 7. National Institutions on Water resources.
 8. National Institutions on Geology and Minerals.
 9. National Institutions on Remote Sensing and GIS.
 10. NGOs.
 11. Several other networks on various chapters of Agenda 21.

There is coordination through ESCAP legislative and technical committees and national coordination mechanisms, as wells as interaction with the networks of UNEP, UNDP and UN DESA etc.

Capacity-Building
 Decision-makers are encouraged to use the information by organising training activities, technical assistance, advisory services, publication of guidelines, and package of information material, dissemination of information through training of environmental journalists etc.

 Training through Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific and other training activities organized by the secretariat such as workshops, training courses develops data collection, assessment and transformation skills.

Data gaps are identified by working in collaboration with governments and other UN system and international organizations.

Internet Access

 http://www.unescap.org

Responsible Office/Person (for inquiries or follow-up):
Director
 Environment and Natural Resources
 Management Division
 United Nations Building
 Rajdamnern Avenue
 Bangkok 10200
 Thailand
 Tel: +662 288 1234
 Fax: +662 288 1000
 E-mail:  karim.unescap@un.org  or  khan.unescap@un.org

Date of preparation: February 1997, updated April 1999

ORGANIZATION:United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)