The world needs sound statistics on environment
The world needs sound statistics on environment
JAKARTA (JP): The development of a sound environmental
statistic system is urgently needed in line with increasing
environmental awareness worldwide, says a senior official of the
Central Bureau of Statistics.
Sugito, the bureau's Director General, told reporters
yesterday that an information system on the environment could act
as a guideline for policy makers in determining regional
development priorities.
"We (the bureau) have already compiled a 400-page compendium
which lists indicators for pollution, forestry and energy
management and the impact of environmental changes under various
conditions, etc.," he said after opening a five day seminar on
environmental statistics.
The seminar, held by the bureau and the United Nations'
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
is being attended by representatives from Australia, Bangladesh,
Fiji, Nepal, Thailand, China, Indonesia, ESCAP and the UN's Food
and Agriculture Organization.
The seminar will discuss various aspects of environmental
statistics, which include concepts and definitions as well as
methods of carrying out surveys and sampling and analysis and
statistic techniques.
Handbook
Sugito said that by the end of the seminar participants are
expected to produce a final handbook on the methodologies of
environmental statistics.
Andrew J. Flatt, Director of ESCAP's Statistics Division based
in Bangkok, said that he was "very impressed" with the compendium
issued by Indonesia's bureau of statistics although he pointed
out that there were areas which could be improved.
Indonesia, he said, is relatively more developed in
environmental statistics compared to many developing countries.
"It is relatively new for Indonesia but I think it has got a
start over some other countries," he said.
Sugito said the bureau has published its compendium since as
early as 1982, but has received only a small amount of publicity.
In order to win the Adipura Purnakarya Nugraha Award given to
the country's "best" cities, for example, local government
offices must reveal statistical data on their environment, he
said.
"This is one way we distribute -- and publicize -- our
environmental data and the statistical methods that go with it,"
he said, adding that the application of such methods were carried
out jointly with local governments, offices of the Environmental
Impact Management Agency and offices of the National Development
Planning Board.
Prerequisite
Sugito said Indonesia would try to share its experiences with
other participating countries at the seminar.
"We have already published a handbook while some countries
haven't finished theirs and others haven't even started...We will
also discuss whether or not there is a chance of them adopting
our system," he said.
Sugito said it was time to compile comprehensive, accurate and
up-to-date environmental statistics as a prerequisite to develop
an information network which integrates economic development and
environmental issues.
"It is time to incorporate environmental issues in
macroeconomic decision-making to achieve sustainable
development," Sugito said.
He said an environmentally adjusted Gross Domestic Product
should be considered as an ultimate goal.
"Without some form of environmentally-adjusted Gross Domestic
Product, sustainable growth is only an illusion," Sugito
added.(pwn)