Water for people.pdf - WHO Thailand Digital Repository

4 4 / S E T T I N G T H E S C E N ESigning Progress: Indicators Mark the WayThe WWDR is centred around the eleven challenge areas (chapters5–15), each of which requires appropriate information. For eachchallenge area, one UN agency or a group of agencies has takenthe lead in supervising the preparation of a position paperdescribing the issues at stake. These position papers specify theinformation need required in each case and have driven thedevelopment of the appropriate indicators.Step 2: Developing a conceptual modelA conceptual model is a verbal or visual abstraction of a part of theworld from a certain point of view. Information on the system, itsspatial and temporal scales and the cause and effect chain can beput into the conceptual model, representing the problem to besolved. The theory or concept that is important to a subject and thatneeds to be described in the conceptual model is not an objectivefact, but depends on cultural background. In the conceptual model,values are expressed, worldviews are at play and theories on systemfunctioning are developed and shared (implicitly or explicitly).Development of a conceptual model implies that a minimum amountof knowledge is available on the systems under consideration.Integrated water resources management requires trade-offsbetween society, economy and the environment. Therefore,information is needed on cause-effect relationships and socioeconomicand environmental effects of policy measures. In this firstedition of the WWDR, a combination of log frame and DPSIR concepthas been chosen as a working model. In this framework, the log-frame(as presented in table 3.1) provided a conceptual basis reflecting thepolicy needs, and the DPSIR provided the cause-effect relationshipsbetween human activity, environmental effect and societal response.These were manifested as indicators representing driving forces,pressure, state, impact and response (Hettelingh et al., 1998;Hammonds et al., 1995; Swart and Bakkes, 1995; Bakkes et al., 1994).■ Driving force indicators describe the driving forces of water use,such as those listed in chapter 1 on the world’s water crisis:poverty, population growth, urbanization, globalization, industrialexpansion, agricultural development, energy production and use,recreation and tourism.■ Pressure indicators describe the pressure on water systems as aresult of human activities (e.g. use of natural resources,discharges of waste).■ State indicators describe the quality/quantity change in the‘state’ of water as a result of the pressure.■ Impact indicators describe the impacts on ecosystems, resources,human health, social conditions, materials and amenities causedby the change in state.■ Response indicators describe the societal response to thesechanges and coping mechanisms, which are reflected ininstitutions, environmental, economic and sectoral policies. Theresponse can be directed at different parts of the cause-effectchain (e.g. driving force, pressure, state or impact).To give a practical example of the use of the DPSIR framework, wehave tried to relate it to the components of the Water Poverty Index(see table 3.2).Step 3: Formulating potential indicatorsThe potential indicators are the variables that describe dominantprocesses and characteristics in the conceptual model. For the WWDR,the process adopted mostly sectoral strategies and a list of indicatorswas selected for initial evaluation.Step 4: Evaluation of potential indicators on the basis ofselection criteriaThe selection criteria relate to the scientific and policy requirementsthat indicators should fulfil. A list of commonly used criteria is includedin table 3.3. Certain criteria are contradictory as they are linked todifferent information needs, therefore a potential indicator cannot fulfilall of the criteria listed in the table (e.g. ‘specific for a certain stress oreffect’ and ‘broadly applicable to many stressors and sites, usable indifferent regions’). For the information needed, a selection of criterianeeds to be made. For example, the concentration of chlorophyll in thewater is a generally accepted and scientifically robust indicator for thealgal biomass. If communication is the major aim of the indicators, theselection criterion ‘simple, easily interpretable and appealing to society’is more important than strong scientific robustness. This holds, forexample, for indicators developed in interaction with the localcommunity within the framework of the local Agenda 21.Table 3.3 thus presents a list of the important criteria for theWWDR indicators. In general terms, they are well established andgive meaningful and accurate information on the state or quality ofthe subject and are adequately documented. The pilot case studieshave these adopted criteria and attuned them to their regionalneeds and conditions.The lead UN agencies have used this preliminary set ofindicators to establish the state of the resource and report progressagainst the set targets in various challenge areas. The wish lists ofindicators have also been included, and will be developed andincluded in subsequent editions of the WWDR (see table 3.4).Step 5: Assessing data availabilityThe potential indicators need to be assessed with regard toavailability of data. Data have to be available in order to constructthe indicator. If the data are not available, they have to be collected.