FAQ

Questions about the use of CLO-information and how CLO-information is made are asked at a regular basis. But also more in general: what are indicators, why are some indicators discontinued and how about reliability of the information?

You can find the answer to these and other questions below.

Use of information

Can I use the information provided by the Compendium?

Unless stated otherwise, the ‘creative commons’ attribution license (CC-BY)' applies to the contents of this website. This means that copying, distribution and showing material and work that was derived from this material is allowed, provided that the original institute’s or author’s name is stated, in this case: the Environmental Data Compendium. For work that was derived from this material, it must be made clear that the Compendium not automatically underwrites this derived work.

The ‘creative commons’ license does not apply to any of the photographs on the website as the Compendium does not own the related copyright.
 

How do I refer to the Environmental Data Compendium?

The general way of referring to information from the Environmental Data Compendium is as follows:

CBS, PBL, RIVM, WUR (year). www.environmentaldata.nl . Statistics Netherlands (CBS), The Hague; PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Hague; National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven; and Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen.

The content of the Environmental Data Compendium is updated on a regular basis. Therefore, when you refer to the EDC, please also include update number and date of the indicator – the latter can be found at the bottom of the indicator page. For example:

CBS, PBL, RIVM, WUR (2015). Road traffic: volume trends and environmental pressure, 1990-2013 (indicator 0127, version 23 , 21 April 2015 ). www.environmentaldata.nl . Statistics Netherlands (CBS), The Hague; PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Hague; National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven; and Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen.

Are the data as used in maps and graphs available?

Nearly all graphs presented in the Compendium are supplied an MS Excel file containing the relevant data. This is not the case for maps, as these involve much larger amounts of data. The maps data can be obtained by sending an email to the editorial team via info@pbl.nl. Data download links are presented in a tab, on the lower right-hand side of the figures.

How can I obtain a high-resolution figure to use in a report or book?

Figures can be obtained in high resolution for the purpose of including them in your printed or digital publication. Please contact the editorial team by filling out the contact form or send an email to info@pbl.nl.

How can I reach the editorial team?

Please send your question in an email to info@pbl.nl, or fill out the contact form on the website’s contact page.

Information about indicators

What are indicators?

The information in the Environmental Data Compendium is presented in the form of indicators; raw measuring data summarised into relevant, useful information. Indicators show trends and spatial images, and compare these with, for example, policy targets and objectives, references, critical loads and benchmarks. Each indicator page features a concise key message, followed by scientific, policy and technical explanations.

From where are data obtained?

CBS, PBL, RIVM and Wageningen UR provide the Compendium with data they manage themselves, but also with data that are made available via third parties. The Wageningen UR contribution is coordinated by their department ‘WOT Natuur en Milieu (Legal Research Tasks in the policy area Nature & Environment)’ with data mainly from Alterra, LEI Wageningen UR and the Institute for Marine Resources & Ecosystem Studies (IMARES). Other parties involved include Rijkswaterstaat Waterdienst, The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), private data-managing organisations and their umbrella organisation ‘Stichting voor Veld-Onderzoek Flora en Fauna (VOFF)’ and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (co-funder of CBS’s statistics on nature).

How do I find a particular indicator in the Environmental Data Compendium?

Indicators can be search for in two different ways:

  • Navigation via the tree structure: topic -> indicators
    On the homepage you will find a list of topics. Selecting one of them will take you to the page on that topic. This page contains a list of recently updated indicators to choose from, or you can search for a particular indicator under the tab ‘indicators’. The breadcrumb trail at the top of each page tells you where you are within the website.
  • Searching for key words, using the search bar
    Typing in one or more key words will deliver a list of search results with, below them, links to the corresponding compendium pages containing one or more of your key words. Clicking on one of the links will take you to that page.
     

How often are indicators updated?

The Dutch Environmental Data Compendium contains almost 600 indicators. The English website only contains the most important indicators. Most indicators are updated annually – an overview can be found under ‘Indicators’ on the menu bar.