Environment Statistics

The project "Strengthening Statistical Capacity in the region of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)" was executed by UNSD in 2002 to 2005 in collaboration with the Statistics Division of ESCWA.

The project aimed at strengthening the national statistical system in the 13 ESCWA countries and the intra-regional co-operation among these systems. Advisory services, fellowship programmes and a series of sub-regional events (training workshops) constituted the core activities under this project framework.

In accordance with the priorities expressed by the countries of the ESCWA Statistical Committee, the implementation of the project was structured in three thematic areas: statistical organization and management; census management and harmonization of census methodology; and environment statistics.

The environment statistics component covered an assessment of the situation of environment statistics in the 13 ESCWA countries and the regional needs for capacity building; a one-week training workshop (organized in April 2004 in Damascus, jointly with UNEP-ROWA) focusing on statistics related to water, land, air and waste, and fellowship arrangements to provide for study tours of statisticians to countries with advanced environment statistics within and outside the region.