INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

SECILIA THOBIAS MAKUNJA
EASTERN AFRICA STATISTICAL TRAINING CENTRE
ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICS
BACHELOR OF STATISTICS YEAR TWO
ASSIGNMENT ONE



QUESTION.
A )DESCRIBE THE DATA NEEDED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICS
WHAT ARE THE TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION?



INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION.
Environmental statistics is the application of statistical methods to environmental science. It covers procedures for dealing with questions concerning both the natural environment in its undisturbed state and the interaction of humanity with the environment.Generally, environmental statistics is the process of collecting, organizing, summaring, analyzing, interpreting and disseminating data concerning environment.


The objective of environment statistics is to provide information about the environment, its most important changes over time and across locations, and the main factors that influence them. Ultimately, environment statistics aim at providing high quality statistical information to improve knowledge of the environment, to support evidence-based policy and decision making, and to provide information for the general public, as well as for specific user groups.

Environment statistics support evidence based policy making by enabling the identification of environmental policy issues and the objective quantification of measures and impacts of policy initiatives. They strengthen assessments through quantitative metrics, making analyses more robust through the use of timely and comparable data.

It is the role of environment statistics to process environmental data into meaningful statistics that describe the state and trends of the environment and the main processes affecting them. Not all environmental data are used in the production of environment statistics. The Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES) provides a framework that marks out environmental data that fall within its scope and then structures, synthesizes and aggregates them into meaningful statistics.

The scope of environment statistics covers biophysical aspects of the environment and those aspects of the human sub-system that directly influence and interact with the environment. Within this scope, environment statistics describe the state and changes of environmental conditions, the quality and availability of environmental resources, the impact of human activities and natural events on the environment, the impact of changing environmental conditions, as well as the social actions and economic measures taken by societies to avoid or mitigate these impacts and to restore and maintain the capacity of the environment to provide the services that are essential for life and human wellbeing.

Also the scope of environment statistics include the media of the natural environment (air, water, land/soil), the biota found within these media, and human settlements. Within the broad range of subject areas, environment statistics describe the quality and availability of natural resources, human activities and natural events that affect the environment, the impacts of these activities and events, and social responses to these impacts.


Data needed for environmental statistics.
The environmental statistics data are collected from the following components of environments based on description and scope of environmental statistics according to the framework for the development of environmental statistics (FDES) they are
i. Flora
ii. Fauna
iii. Atmosphere
iv. Water (Fresh &Marine)
v. Human settlement
From each of the above components of the environment the following areas is where we can obtain the data
Social and economic activities and natural events,
Environmental impact of activities
Response to environmental impacts
Inventories stock and background

The data obtain from above area are based on the recognition that the environmental problems are results of human activities
FLORA COMPONENT
In this component different human activities are done which cause problem to the environment the activities can be social or economic activities. The following are the data collected under flora component
Data on social and economic activities and natural events
Agriculture and livestock production
Forest and logging
Emission of hazard to flora
Climate change
Natural disaster




Environmental impact of activities
Human health and welfare impact eg food contamination, crop losses from natural disaster,
Deforestation
Biodiversity
Pollution on vegetation cover (acidic precipitation)
Response to environmental impact
Protection of endangered species
Forest management(including afforestation)
Pollution monitoring and control
Prevention and mitigation of natural disasters (forecasting, flood control, pest management).
FAUNA COMPONENT
Data on social and economic activities and natural events
Livestock production
Emission of hazardous to fauna
Natural disaster (drought, fire, pest)
Hunting, trapping and game propagation
Fishing
Use of draught animals

Environmental impact of activities
Migration of species
Contamination species
Biodiversity
Human health and welfare impact (nutrition-related effects, cost change in livestock production, recreation and tourism)

Response to environmental impact
Hunting ,fishing and breeding regulations and control
Protection of habitat (land use regulation, national parks, reserves)
Health protection (food quality control, alternative food resources)
ATMOSPHERE COMPONENT
Data on social and economic activities and natural events
Weather /precipitation control
Land use affecting climate(deforestion,desertification,infrastructure)
Natural disaster
Air transportation


Environmental impact of activities
Climate change
Air quality(ambient concentration of air pollutant)
Biological and ecological impact(contamination and distraction of species)
Human health and welfare impact

Response to environmental impact
Weather and climate prediction and control
Monitoring and control of air pollution
Alternative land use, production processes and consumption pattern(alternative energy source)
Water
Data on social and economic activities
Water withdrawal(surface water, ground water)
Water use(industrial, domestic, agricultural)
Waste water and discharge
Environmental impact
Water quality (ambient concentration of biological contaminants, chemical substance)
Biological and ecological impacts(eutrophication, contaminants and destruction of biota)
Water related impact on climate and land(quality of precipitation, erosion, flood, salination)
Response to environmental impact
Conservation and development of water resources(for industrial, domestic and agriculture use)
Water treatment (primary, secondary, tertiary)
Conservation of acquatic ecosystem and their biota
Pollution monitoring and water quality control

Land/soil
Data on social and economic activities
Land use (agriculture and livestock production, forestry, mining and quarrying, transportation)
Waste and waste water discharge onto the land(from production and consumption activities)
Extraction of energy(fossil fuel, geothermal and nuclear resources)
Discharge(dusts and air pollutants, liquid waste, radioactive waste disposal)

Environmental impact
Land disturbance(open pits, waste disposal)
Ambient concentration of air and water pollutants
Disruption of ecosystem
Human health and welfare(mining accident, productivity/cost changes in mining operation)
Response to environmental impact
Land use regulation and zoning
Conservation of soil and ecosystem
Waste disposal including recycling and pollution monitoring and control
Human settlement
Data on social and economic activities
Population growth and migration
Construction (residential and non-residential)
Transportation
Emissions and waste discharge


Environmental impact
Housing shortage and occupancy (acces to utilities and community services)
Biological and ecological impacts (especially from urban sprawl and infrastructure development)
Noise
Marginal housing (slum and squarter settlements, declines of inner cities, sub-standard rural housing)

Response to environmental impact
Housing policy and programmes (low cost housing and community services, building code and regulations)
Land policy and control
Monitoring and quality control of working environment
Conservation of energy and water(alternative construction technology)














TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION
Questionnaire
Interview schedule
Observation.

QUESTIOINNAIRE.
A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case.
-A questionnaire can be open questionnaire, closed questionnaire, mixed questionnaire-mail questionnaire, web based questionnaire, live and distance questionnaire. A paper form, yet to be filled in by the respondent.
The advantages of questionnaires
Practical
Large amounts of information can be collected from a large number of people in a short period of time and in a relatively cost effective way
Can be carried out by the researcher or by any number of people with limited affect to its validity and reliability
The results of the questionnaires can usually be quickly and easily quantified by either a researcher or through the use of a software package
Can be analyzed more 'scientifically' and objectively than other forms of research
When data has been quantified, it can be used to compare and contrast other research and may be used to measure change
Positivists believe that quantitative data can be used to create new theories and / or test existing hypotheses
The disadvantages of questionnaires
Is argued to be inadequate to understand some forms of information - i.e. changes of emotions, behaviour, feelings etc.
Phenomenologists state that quantitative research is simply an artificial creation by the researcher, as it is asking only a limited amount of information without explanation
Lacks validity
There is no way to tell how truthful a respondent is being
There is no way of telling how much thought a respondent has put in
The respondent may be forgetful or not thinking within the full context of the situation
People may read differently into each question and therefore reply based on their own interpretation of the question - i.e. what is 'good' to someone may be 'poor' to someone else, therefore there is a level of subjectivity that is not acknowledged
There is a level of researcher imposition, meaning that when developing the questionnaire, the researcher is making their own decisions and assumptions as to what is and is not important...therefore they may be missing something that is of importance


INTERVIEW SHEDULE
A schedule is a set of questions with structured answers to guide an observer interviewer, researcher or investigator. It is a plan or guide line for investigation.
- Is One to one direct communication between researcher and subject for collection of data. Series of a questions to be asked in an interview is called interview schedule.-interiew schedule is being categorized into structured(for research),semi-structured(which is flexible but structured),non-directives(which is free talk on issues),and focused (in depth talk on an issue or media).
ADVANTAGES
-It leads to more responses
-Accurate information can be collected
-it is free from biasness
-More difficult situation can be studied
-It is used for educated as well as uneducated respondents
DISADVANTAGIES
-It is more expensive and costly
-It is more time consuming
-It is required skilled and experienced investigators
-Wide range coverage is not possible






OBSERVATION
is way of gathering data by watching behavior , events, or not physical characteristics in their natural certain.
Observation can be overt that is everyone knows they are being observed or covert that is no one knows they are being observed. It can also being either direct or indirect. Direct observation is when you watch interaction, processes, or behaviors as they occur. Indirect observations are when you watch the results of the interactions, processes, or behaviors.

ADVATAGES
-Collect data where and when an event or activity is occurring
-Does not rely on people willingness or ability to provide information
-Allows you to direct see what people do rather than relying on what people say they did.
DISADVANTAGIES
-Susceptible observer bias
- Susceptible to the" haw Thorne effect", that is , people usually perform batter when they know they are being observed, although in direct observation may decrease this problem.
-can be expensive and time consuming compared to other data collection methods.
-Does not increase your understanding of why people behave as they do.