Report on the coordination of international statistical activities in the area of the environment

This report presents the results of a regional study conducted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the National Institute of Statistics and Geography of Mexico, in their respective roles as technical secretariat and coordinator, of the Working Group on Environmental Statistics of the Statistical Conference of the Americas of ECLAC. The objective was to carry out an in- depth study of the international statistical activities in the area of environmental statistics, with a view to strengthening coordination of those activities and optimizing their contribution to the development of environmental statistics in the region. The study is based primarily on the results of a survey in which 33 ECLAC member countries were invited to take part in order to (a) report on the current status of statistical programmes in the area of the environment; (b) identify the activities in the area of environmental statistics supported by international cooperation; and (c) determine the challenges and needs of Latin American and Caribbean countries in this area. In addition, a bibliographical review was conducted using other sources of information, such as websites.