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CEROI Indicator Resources

What is an indicator?

In the context of a state-of-environment (SoE) report, indicators are representative, concise and easy-to-interpret parameters used to illustrate the main features of an urban environment, as well as their development over time and space.


Why indicators? 

The purpose of indicators is to collect useful information about urban conditions and trends. Urban indicators can function as important policy- and decision-making instruments. The main purpose of a SoE report is to present, in a user-friendly form, an aggregate overview a city's state to a non-professional audience - such as politicians, decision-makers, educational institutions and the general public. The report will focus on presenting a limited set of environmental indicators in an easy-to-understand and primarily graphical form, supplemented by short background information and interpretations.  


Where to find indicator data?

There are various sources for indicator data depending on the level of reporting and the issues in focus. The "Sustainable Measures" website lists several possible indicator sources based on experiences in the United States.


How to present indicators?

The interpretation of information in the report can be facilitated by:

  • graphically illustrating a change in selected indicators over time;
  • using maps to illustrate the spatial distribution of indicators; and,
  • in providing background information.
Local-level case-studies can also be used to draw attention to "hot spots" and/or local-scale solutions in a city. The normalisation of indicators,  e.g. per capita, per unit area, per monetary unit, can be used to improve the comparability of indicators. In order to compare the past/present situation with the desired state of affairs, established target values, such as quality standards and legal limits, should be used in conjunction with actual data.

    Further information about indicators can be found in " Understanding the CEROI template ".