Indicator reporting frequency
The frequency of reporting on the 22 national environmental indicators depends primarily on data availability, and also reflects, where possible, the policy priorities of the Ministry.
Some indicators can only be updated after major new national datasets become available. For example, most land and soils indicator reporting depends on satellite imagery from the Land Use and Carbon Analysis System (LUCAS) programme, which is only updated periodically.
One indicator (the distribution of seven selected native species) will not be updated before the 2012 state of the environment report is published. More frequent reporting is not possible because the natural distributions of these species are not expected to change over this time period.
Proposed frequency of reporting for the 22 national environmental indicators
| Domain | National environmental indicator | Proposed frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Consumption | Household consumption expenditure | Annual, from 2009 |
| Transport | Vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT) | Annual, from 2009 |
| Energy | Energy supply Energy demand |
Annual, from 2009 |
| Waste | Solid waste sent to landfill | Annual, after national waste levy data becomes available |
| Air | Air quality | Annual (web-based reporting occurs now) |
| Atmosphere | Greenhouse gases | Annual |
| Stratospheric ozone | Once before 2012 report; after that five-yearly | |
| Land | Land cover Land use Soil health Erosion risk |
Once before 2012 report; after that depending on data availability |
| Fresh water | River water quality Lake water quality Groundwater quality Fresh water demand |
Every 2-3 years |
| Recreational water quality | Annual (web-based reporting occurs now) | |
| Oceans | Marine areas with legal protection | Annual |
| Fishing activity | Annual, from 2009 | |
| Recreational water quality | Annual (web-based reporting occurs now) | |
| Biodiversity | Native land cover | Once before 2012 report; after that depending on data availability |
| Indicator species | Every 5-10 years, depending on data availability |
Last updated: February 2009
