Tools for Environmental Systems Analysis: Using Environmental Indicators (ESA 22806, 2011)

Second assignment: Examine the results of the first assignment

Please read the instructions for each of the questions carefully!

In case of problems contact David Niemeijer

Introduction and instructions

Please find below the main results of the first assignment for the course "Environmental Systems Analysis" (ESA 22806). The results form the 46 respondents were categorized into 4 categories based on the GDP per capita of the country of origin of the respondent. There were 5 students from very low income countries (mainly Africa), 8 from low income countries (mainly Africa and Asia), 12 from medium income countries (mainly Asia, South America and Central and Eastern Europe, and 21 from high income countries (majority from the Netherlands).

You are kindly requested to look at the graphs and answer the three questions at the bottom. Note that most of the graphs are so-called radar graphs with the lowest scores (least important) in the center and the highest scores (most important) at the edges.

Reminder: If you have any topics that you would in particular like to be discussed during the lecture on November 25 please email me.

Anyone who completed the assignment after 12 November is not included in the result data because it was to late to include the answers in the analysis. If you fall into this category just proceed by studying these results and continue with this assignment.

For reference please supply your name and e-mail address again

Please enter your full name:

Please enter your e-mail address:

Ranking key environmental issues

Ranking key environmental resources

Ranking the best indicators for the issue of acidification

Ranking the best indicators for the issue of ozone depletion

Ranking the best indicators for the issue of toxification

Ranking the best measurements for global warming

Best and worst indicators for evaluation of the Greenhouse Gasses emission performance of the EU-15 countries (in terms of percentage of answers)

Best and worst EU-15 countries in terms of the Greenhouse Gasses emission performance (in terms of percentage of answers)

Categories assigned to each indicator (in terms of percentage of answers)

Question 1: What do you find most remarkable or surprising about the results?

Question 2: What have you learned so far about environmental indicators from the original assignment and from studying the (above) results of that first assignment?

Preparing for the lecture on November 25

The lecture on November 25 will not only discuss the results of both assignments but also the various problems of using environmental indicators and how to solve those problems.

Please print out this web page and prepare yourself for discussion (during the lecture on November 25) with the members of the other income regions on why your views on environmental indicators are "better" than or "different" from the views of the other groups. For example, why do you think certain environmental issues are more important than others have indicated? Or, why do you think a particular country is doing well on GHG emission performance while others have indicated that the country is performing poorly?

If you would like to make any comments, please do so here:

Before submitting your answers, please make sure that you completed all questions.