How reliable are the indicators on the Environmental Data Compendium?

The Compendium’s indicators have a scientific basis and are subjected to a review process before they are published on the website. Users may consult the technical explanation (at the bottom of each indicator page) and follow the links to references, in order to determine how that particular indicator was created. For a large number of indicators, reliability is indicated according to a reliability code (A to F):

  • A. Integral observation.
  • B. Estimation based on a large number of very accurate measurements, with full or nearly full representativeness of the data.
  • C. Estimation based on a large number of accurate measurements; representativeness is largely guaranteed.
  • D. Estimation based on a number of measurements, expert judgements, and a number of relevant facts or published expert sources.
  • E. Estimation based on a few measurements, expert judgement, relevant facts or extrapolation of other measurements.
  • F. Estimation based on expert judgement, assumptions or extrapolation of foreign data.
The Environmental Data Compendium is a partnership of CBS, PBL, RIVM and WUR.