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South West Observatory






SW Observatory Environment module

Last updated:

19th March 2008

Quick links:

State of the South West 2007

State of the Env ironment in the South West

Regional strategy for the South West's environment

Environment module core indicators

Quality of life indicators

Regional Environment Strategy indicators

Regional Environment Strategy Progress Indicators

Environment agency indicators

European Environment Agency indicators

South West environmental indicators

Atmosphere indicators

Biodiversity indicators

Coastal indicators

Inland water indicators

Land and landuse indicators

Economy and industry indicators

Waste and pollution indicators

Community well-being indicators

Flooding indicators

Useful websites

Environment Agency indicators

Quality of life indicators

State of the European Environment 2005

European Environment Agency indicators

Environmental Indicators

What's new on this page...

This page brings together all the environmental indicators used by various organisations in the South West. Links are given to South West data and analysis wherever possible.

Local Area Agreement indicators

Local Area Agreements are currently being renegotiated and refreshed to take into account changes that were announced in the 2006 Local Government White Paper, Stronger and Prosperous Communities.

The new agreements will take effect from June 2008 and are designed to give local authorities and their partners in the Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) more freedom to decide how to focus their efforts and resources, therefore making them more effective and accountable.

A national set of 198 performance indicators were announced by central government as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 thus replacing the estimated 1200 that existed before. From this new set, LAAs will have to incorporate 35 that best reflect the needs of their local area. Together with 18 statutory education and early years targets these will have to be reported on to central government. In addition local areas can agree additional targets for inclusion in the LAA but these will carry no statutory reporting requirements.

The Government have defined a new set of Local Area Agreement (LAA) indicators, of which 14 cover environmental topics.

Data for these environmental indicators in the South West can be downloaded here.

Environment Module's environmental indicators: summary (Core) set:

Atmosphere logoAtmosphere
Biodiversity logoBiodiversity
Coasts logoCoasts and the marine environment

Click here for more atmosphere & climate change indicators

Regional Environment Strategy indicators on:

Click here for more biodiversity indicators

Regional Environment Strategy on:

Click here for more coastal indicators

Regional Environment Strategy indicators on:

 
Water logoInland water
Land logoLand and land use
Economy logoEconomy and industry

Click here for more inland water indicators

Regional Environment Strategy indicators on:

Click here for more land and landuse indicators

Regional Environment Strategy indicators on:

Click here for more economy and industry indicators

Regional Environment Strategy indicators on:
Waste logoWaste and pollution
Community logoCommunity well-being

 

Click here for more waste and pollution indicators

Regional Environment Strategy on:

Click here for more community well-being indicators

Regional Environment Strategy indicators on:

South West Regional Environment Strategy indicators

Regional Environment Strategy report If we want to continue to enjoy a high quality environment and high quality of life in the South West, we need to protect our environmental assets, improve our management and stewardship of these assets, and invest in their enhancement for the future.

The Regional Assembly and Regional Environment Network believe this is critical for the long-term sustainable development of the South West. This is why they have collaborated on producing the first ever Regional Strategy for the South West environment, to provide focus for co-ordinated regional action on the environment.

In order to monitor progress in delivering the Strategy, a set of targets and indicators are being identified relating to the regional aims for landscape and the historic environment, natural resources, nature conservation, and people and
their environment. Similarly, a set of targets and indicators are being identified for the six key regional issues:

  1. climate change
  2. wise use of resources
  3. food farming and forestry
  4. tourism
  5. spatial planning and development
  6. transport.

These targets and indicators reflect current data availability, and further work will need to be undertaken to fill in gaps in regional data and understanding, and to ensure that the Strategy can be monitored effectively. For several of the
indicators, the current baseline is not known and, therefore, it is not possible to set a target until the baseline is established.

The Regional Assembly will work with the Regional Observatory and other partners to establish a more comprehensive monitoring process, in the meantime the following tables identify proposed targets and indicators, and highlight where further information is needed.

regional environment strategy Indicators can be viewed in the following themes:

These indicators are also integrated according to theme below.

   

SW Regional Environment Strategy Progress report 2006The second South West Regional Environment Strategy Progress report (SW Regional Assembly 2007) is now available.

Two years on from the launch of the Strategy, this second Progress Report assesses how the environment in the region is changing, and the response that partner organisations have made in delivering priority actions.

This Progress Report should be read in conjunction with the Progress Report 2005 and is based on two elements: monitoring environmental outcomes in relation to the targets and indicators set out in the Strategy; and monitoring delivery of the actions in the implementation plan.

SW Regional Environment Strategy progress 2006 click for more details

The indicators demonstrate that there are still significant environmental challenges facing the region.

Since last year, the indicator on tranquil areas points to a worsening of the situation. Proposals to amend current flight paths could see more planes flying over Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the huge increase in flights risks damaging the peace and quiet in the countryside around the National Parks. Whilst there has been some significant activity on waste it still remains a major challenge for the region. Indicators on traffic growth and car use also continue to worsen, although alternative fuels continue to present the region with real opportunities to research, develop and invest in, and will have positive implications for the rest of the environment.

There are also areas where progress is being maintained, namely: access to open space, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and Greenfield development. Improvements in access to open space continue since the introduction of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act and other green spaces such as parks have also improved. The condition of SSSIs shows a marked improvement since 2004 and is being upheld in 2006 through increased targeting of environmental stewardship. In relation to Greenfield development, RPG10 monitoring suggests that the requirement to develop 50% of new housing on previously developed land has been achieved for the second time.

In relation to local environmental quality, in the past two years the region has fallen from 1st to 4th and now risen to 2nd in the ENCAMs annual survey, due largely to particular problems which have now been targeted – such as street cleansing, aspects of highway management and public transport infrastructure. Overall local environmental quality still remains good in the South West and the South West joins the West Midlands as the most improved region (7% increase in the target index). The number of Air Quality Management Areas has also increased in urban areas, aimed at reducing the negative impacts of traffic and congestion. For the remaining indicators, no change has been observed, or the issues are long term and are likely to take many years to address, or monitoring is not carried out on an annual basis.

Environment In Your Pocket 2007

Environment in your Pocket 2007 The 11th edition of Environment In Your Pocket 2007 is now available (Defra, 2007), containing a summary of key statistics and facts from the Defra e- Digest of Environmental Statistics. It is the annual booklet that makes readily accessible environmental trends and statistics on climate change, air quality, water quality, land use, waste and recycling wildlife and other environmental issues.

EIYP also includes UK Framework Indicators from the set of UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy indicators. The full set of indicators can be accessed on the government sustainable development website.

It includes several environmental indicators of sustainable development, and contains also a section looking at pressures on the environment - such as energy use, transport, pollution incidents and household consumption - and at spending to mitigate the effects of some pressures. The Environment in your Pocket 2007 also includes a section summarising some key results from Defra’s recent Survey of Public Attitudes and Behaviours towards the Environment.

Examples of trends reported in the booklet include:

  • When asked about various actions that could be seen a potentially wasteful, almost a quarter of people said that they always or very often “keep the tap running when brushing their teeth”, 18% always or very often “leave the TV on standby overnight”, 12% “fill a kettle with more water than they’ll use” and 11% always or very often “leave their mobile phone charger switched on when not in use”
  • The long term central England temperature recordshows that eight out of the ten years warmest years have occurred since 1990 and that the period from May to September 2006 was warmer that any equivalent period since the central England record began in 1659
  • In England and Wales in 2006, 2.3 million properties were estimated to be in an area at risk of flooding; for just over half a million of those the risk was considered to be significant
  • Total greenhouse gas emissions from the UK food chain are estimated to have been 116 million tonnes (CO2 equivalent) in 2004; over three-quarters of the emissions came from the food production and agriculture stages, the remainder came from net trade and household food use
  • Total emissions of particulates (PM10) to the air fell by 57% (almost 200  thousand tonnes) between 1980 and 2005;
  • In 2005/6 in the UK, the amount of household waste per person that was not recycled or composted was at its lowest level since estimates were first made in 1983/4 and just over a quarter of all household waste was recycled or composted
  • In 2004, 35% of fish stocks around the UK were at full reproductive capacity and being harvested sustainably
  • In 2006, all but 2 of the 561 coastal bathing waters in the UK met the mandatory standards of the European Bathing Water Directive compared with two thirds of waters in 1988; over three quarters met the tougher guideline standards - one of the requirements for Blue Flag status - in 2006
  • Radioactive emissions to air in the UK fell by around 83% between 1985 and 2005 and emissions to water fell by 87%. At the same time, electricity production from nuclear sources increased by 40%
  • The area of woodland in the UK has increased since the early 20th Century - approximately 5% of the UK was covered by woodland in 1924: in 2006 almost 12% of the UK was wooded
  • Since the mid-1970s, farmland and woodland bird populations have seen a significant decrease of over 50 and 30% respectively, although both populations appear to have stabilised since the mid-1990s; seabird populations have risen by around a third in the same period and stabilised since the mid-1980s

Sustainable Development Indicators in your Pocket 2007

Sustainable Development Indicators in Your Pocket 2007 Sustainable Development Indicators In Your Pocket 2007 is now available.

The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy, Securing the future, was launched by the Prime Minister in March 2005, and builds on the 1999 strategy, A better quality of life. It sets out the goal of sustainable development as enabling all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life of future generations.

The Strategy outlined 68 indicators through which to review progress, along with other evidence, in four priority areas:

  • Sustainable consumption and production
  • Climate change and energy
  • Protecting natural resources and enhancing the environment
  • Creating sustainable communities and a fairer world

This National Statistics booklet presents and assesses the indicators – measures of everyday concerns including health, housing, jobs, crime, education and our environment. It aims to be a useful and accessible reference for experts, to help illustrate the breadth and challenges of sustainable development to those less familiar with the concept, and to encourage readers to find out more.

For the first time this edition includes some provisional measures associated with wellbeing. Some of these are presented alongside existing indicators, whilst the background and other measures are presented as part of indicator number 68 on wellbeing.

2007 summary

A wide range of measures show improvement including renewable electricity, emissions of air pollutants, manufacturing, service and public sector emissions, waste recycling, agricultural emissions and land stewardship, biodiversity loss, river water quality, land recycling, community participation, vehicle crime and burglary, fear of crime, poverty measures, mortality rates, road accidents, housing conditions and fuel poverty, rough sleepers and local environmental quality.

The set of 68 indicators includes ‘traffic lights' to signal where things are getting better, worse or staying the same . Compared to the position in 1999 (the baseline year) 50 indicators show improvement (representing over half of those for which it is possible to make an assessment) and 32 show little or no change.

Government's Regional Headline Sustainable Development Indicators 2007

Regional versions of the UK Government’s indicators of sustainable development are now available (UK Sustainable Development, 2008) published to help provide a perspective of sustainable development in each region.

To support the UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy, 'Securing the Future' (published in March 2005), there is a suite of 68 national sustainable development indicators.  For 46 of these indicators it has been possible to produce regional versions for the Government Office Regions.

The indicators highlight issues within the priority areas of Sustainable Consumption and Production, Natural Resources, and Sustainable Communities. Other indicators provide useful contextual information.

For the first time regional figures for environmental equality and for wellbeing are published.

Key findings within the Regional Sustainable Development Indicators
  • Every region has shown improvement in a number of areas during the last decade.
  • With a few exceptions, every region is moving in the same direction as the national trends.
  • There is no single region that is in the best or worst position for all of the indicators.
  • For every region there are areas where they are in a better position and areas where they are in a worse position, relative to other regions.
Key results for the South West

The South West had amongst the highest proportions of rivers of good quality. Rates of robbery, burglary and vehicle theft and fear of crime were amongst the lowest of the regions. The proportion of 19 years old attaining level 2 qualifications was the highest of the regions. Mortality rates from circulatory disease and cancer were the lowest of the regions and overall life expectancy was amongst the highest.

The lowest percentage of journeys was made by public transport in the South West, and the region saw the lowest reuse of previously developed land for new housing.

Below is a summary of the Sustainable Development Indicators in the South West (Defra, 2008). Full details of all indicators can be downloaded here. Other regional reports are available here and the national progress report here.

Indicator group
Indicator
South West Status
Getting better / worse?

Sustainable consumption & production

 

 

Greenhouse gas emissions

  • The South West emitted 11.5 million tonnes carbon equivalent of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2005; the third lowest amount of the regions.
  • This equated to 2.3 tonnes per resident; below the average rate for England.

 

Carbon dioxide emissions by end user

  • Around 39% (England average 44%) of CO2 emissions in the South West were from industry and commerce, compared with approximately 30% (England average 28%) from domestic sources and 31% (England average 28%) from road transport.

 

Waste
  • In 2004-5, around 18.1 million tonnes of waste (arising from construction and demolition, industry and commerce and the municipal sector which includes household waste) were produced in the South West; 10% of the England total.
  • 52% was produced by construction and demolition (48%,
    England average) and 31% came from industry and commerce
    (36%, England average), whilst the remaining 17% was
    municipal waste (16%, England average).
  • 45% of the waste was disposed of by landfill (42%, England average) and 53% was recycled (average rate for
    England).

Household waste

  • On average 526 kilograms of household waste were produced per person in the South West in 2006-7 (England average 511 kilograms); an increase of 7% compared with 1998-9 (England overall increase 6%).
    • The South West had the second highest recycling rate of the regions, with 37% of household waste recycled (England average 31%).

Waste arisings

Waste recycling

Natural resources

 

 

 

 

 

Bird populations

  • Woodland bird populations in the South West fell by 15% between 1994 and 1995 and in 2005 were 5% below 1994
    levels.
  • The region's farmland bird populations have fluctuated since 1994 but in 2005 were 5% below 1994 levels.
  • Of the 29 species of woodland bird monitored in the region, 34% increased between 1994 and 2004, whereas 28% declined and 38% showed little change
  • Of the 19 farmland bird species monitored in the region, 38%
    increased, 19% declined and 43% remained fairly stable.

Farmland birds

Woodland birds

Land use

  • The South West has 1195 thousand hectares of grassland and rough grazing (2005 figures), 487 thousand hectares of land for crops and bare fallow (2005), 212 thousand hectares of woodland (1995-9), 95 thousand hectares for other agricultural uses (2005) and 117 thousand hectares of urban and suburban land (2001).
  • 7% of the South West region is designed as National Park
    (2005); compared with an overall designation of 8% in England.
  • Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty account for 29% of the
    region, above the national average of 15%.
  • The South West has 638 kilometres of Defined Heritage Coasts.

 

Land recycling

  • In 2006, 58% of new dwellings were built on previously developed land; an increase of 23 percentage points since 1994.
  • The land recycling rate in the South West has been consistently below the average rate for England, which in 2006 was 71% of
    dwellings.

Land recycling - dwellings

Dwelling density

  • Between 1994 and 2006 the density of new dwellings in the South West followed a similar pattern to the average for England as a whole.
  • During this period dwelling density in the South West increased from 25 to 41 dwellings per hectare (64% increase). Most of this increase can be attributed to the last 4 years, resulting in the average density just above the England average of 40 dwellings per hectare.

Dwelling density

Emissions of air pollutants

  • In 2004 the South West emitted 93,100 tonnes of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 18,500 tonnes of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and 14,200 tonnes of particulates (PM10).
  • This accounted for 7 per cent of the total England and Wales NOx emissions, 2% of the total SO2 emissions, and 11% of all
    PM10s.

 

River quality

  • 89% of the total river lengths in the South West were of good biological quality (England average 71%) in 2006 and 81% were of good chemical quality (England average 66%).
  • The South West was ranked first of the regions in terms of biological water quality, and second for chemical water quality.
  • The total river lengths classed as having good biological quality in the South West increased by 8 percentage points between 1990 and 2006, and lengths with good chemical water quality increased by 20 percentage points.

Chemical river quality

 

Biological river quality

Sustainable communities

 

 

 

 

Environmental equality

  • Less than 1% of people living in the least deprived areas in the South West experience 3 or more environmental conditions that are‘least favourable’. Around 18% of the population in the most deprived areas experience 3 or more environmental conditions that are 'least favourable'.

 

Air quality and health

  • Three sites were used for monitoring air pollution in the South West in 2005. The number of days of moderate or higher air pollution in the region ranged from 11 days in Plymouth Centre to 35 days in Yarner Wood. The number of days of moderate or higher air pollution decreased in 2 sites between 2004 and 2005, and increased in the other.
  • Two sites were used for monitoring particulates (PM10) the South West in 2005 and PM10 levels decreased in one of the three sites between 2004 and 2005 and increased in the other.
  • Four sites were used for monitoring ozone in the South West in 2005 and ozone levels decreased in two sites, increased in one and stayed the same in one between 2004 and 2005.

 

Local environmental quality

  • 34% of assessed sites in the South West in 2006-7 were judged to be of good local environmental quality, the highest regional proportion.
  • 4% (England average 5%) of sites in the region were
    judged as having a poor local environment.
  • In total, 52% of sites (England average 47%) were judged as good or satisfactory local environmental quality in the region.

Local environmental quality

Satisfaction in local area

  • Householder satisfaction in the characteristics of the local area fell slightly from 91% to 90%, in the South West between 1999-00 and 2006-7 (England average 87%).

Satisfaction in local area

Wellbeing
  • The average life satisfaction rating in the South West in 2007 was 7.51, higher than the national average of 7.31, and the highest for all regions.
  • Compared to nationally, a greater proportion of people gave ratings of 8, 9 or 10 (57% in total).

 

Local environment quality of life indicators

45 new indicators have been developed to measure the quality of life in individual localities and the effectiveness of local sustainable community strategies by the Audit Commission, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).

The local quality of life indicator set outlined in this report includes 45 key measures to help ‘paint a picture’ of the quality of life in a local area. The indicator set covers a range of important sustainable development issues that influence our long-term well-being. It helps measure the key issues of importance that have been derived from national policy priorities, as well as research and public surveys.

Indicators have been developed to cover the following themes:

Environment Agency environmental indicators

The Environment Agency have summarised the indicators they use in carrying out their work, these are viewable by environmental topic or alphabetically on their website. These indicators can be found according to their theme below.

European Environment Agency indicators

The European Environment Agency's have a core set of indicators. These 37 indicators can be found according to their theme below.

South West environmental indicators

Atmosphere logoAtmosphere

 

Pressure

climate change causes

effects:

state

air
Regional Environment Strategy indicators
Other indicators

The UK Government Sustainable Development indicators

There are 15 climate change and energy indicators supporting the UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy. A number of climate change related indicators are also in the sustainable consumption and production section. These indicators include:

  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Carbon dioxide emissions by end user:
    • Industry
    • Domestic
    • Transport
  • Aviation and shipping emissions:
    • Aviation bunkers
    • Shipping bunkers
  • Renewable energy
  • Electricity generation:
    • Electricity, fossil fuels
    • CO2, NOx emissions
    • SO2 emissions
  • Household energy use
  • Road transport: CO2 emissions
  • Private cars
  • Road freight:
  • Manufacturing sector: CO2 emissions
  • Service sector: CO2 emissions
  • Public sector: CO2 emissions
  • Energy supply
  • Agriculture sector: CH4 emissions
  • Economic output (contextual)

The Environment Agency has a range of indicators relating to aerial emissions from Agency-regulated industrial processes (which is a headline indicator) as well as climate and air.

The European Environment Agency has indicators relating to air quality, air and climate

Biodiversity logoBiodiversity

 

State

changes in population of selected characteristic species:

biodiversity:

Regional Environment Strategy indicators
Other indicators

The Environment Agency has a range of indicators relating to wildlife and land, including salmon catches (which is a headline indicator) as well as otter occurrence.

The European Environment Agency has core indicators on nature and biodiversity change.

Coasts logoCoasts and the marine environment

 

Pressure
State
Regional Environment Strategy indicators
Other indicators

The Environment Agency has a range of indicators relating to bathing water quality and discharges to the sea (both of which are headline indicators), as well as beach litter, estuary water quality, sea level change

The European Environment Agency has indicators on the marine environment.

Inland water logoInland water

 

Pressure

water demand & availability:
State

fresh water quality:

freshwater quantity:

 
Regional Environment Strategy indicators
other indicators

The Environment Agency has a range of indicators relating to inland water, including rivers of good or fair quality , abstractions from freshwater, flood levels in rivers (all of which are headline indicators)

The European Environment Agency has indicators on inland water quality (including rivers and lakes) and water use

Land logoLand and land use

 

pressure

Agricultural workforce

Agricultural chemical use

  • consumption of inorganic fertilizer
  • use of pesticides
  • heavy metals in agricultural top soils

Agricultural land use:

state

land

designated land:

countryside / woodland:

access to the countryside:

soil:

the built environment:

Regional Environment Strategy indicators
Other indicators

The Environment Agency has a range of indicators relating to land and pollution

Historic heritage indicators are currently being developed by English Heritage

The European Environment Agency has indicators on agriculture, soil, nature and biodiversity change.

The South West Protected Landscape Forum have developed a core set of indicators for use in AONB Management Plan reviews and for monitoring landscape change

Economy logoEconomy and industry

 

Pressure

energy use & production

renewable energy:

fishing

commercial offshore (targets):

  • Fish stocks around the UK fished within safe limits
  • Reduce UK fishing effort in those sectors of the fleet with most overcapacity

industry

tourism

mining & quarrying
Regional Environment Strategy indicators
other indicators

The Environment Agency has a range of indicators relating to aerial emissions related to Agency-regulated industrial processes (which is a headline indicator) as well as business and industry, energy consumption

The European Environment Agency has indicators relating to air quality, fisheries, tourism, household energy consumption and CHP share in electricity generation.

Waste logoWaste and pollution

 

Pressure

waste

recycling & recovery:

disposal:

discharges & emissions to the environment; pollution (see also 'air', 'water')

chemical releases to the environment (aqueous):

Pollution incidents
Regional Environment Strategy indicators
other indicators

The Environment Agency has a range of indicators relating to resources and waste, pollution, beach litter, including hazardous waste arisings, pollution incidents, sewage treatment works discharges and discharges to the sea (which are headline indicators)

The European Environment Agency has indicators relating to air quality, waste, fisheries and energy consumption

Community logoCommunity well-being

 

Pressure

housing:

general development:

population:

transport

Overall traffic volumes

journeys:

mode:

  • shopping trips by mode
  • leisure trips by mode of transport
  • passenger travel by mode
  • distance travelled relative to income
  • how children get to school
  • modal split of journeys to work

freight:

  • freight transport by mode
  • HGV mileage intensity
  • movement of HGVs on environmentally sensitive roads
  • investment in railfreight & port facilities

sustainability:

State

noise:

litter:

Regional Environment Strategy indicators
other indicators

The Environment Agency has a range of indicators relating to people and lifestyles

The European Environment Agency has indicators on transport, households,

Encams conducts an annual local quality of life survey

Audit Commisions' Local quality of life indicators - supporting local communities to become sustainable

Flood logoFlooding

Pressure

floods
Regional environment Strategy indicators
other indicators

The Environment Agency has a headline indicator on flood levels in rivers

The European Environment Agency has indicators on climate change