Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies International Atomic Energy Agency United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs International Energy Agency Eurostat European Environment Agency

4. SELECTING AND USING ENERGY INDICATORS 
The information in this section is intended to help countries in selecting and using 
energy indicators and in setting up their own national energy indicator programmes. 
The relative importance of different indicators for sustainable energy development 
will vary from country to country, depending on country-specific conditions, national 
energy priorities, and sustainability and development criteria and objectives. Every 
country has its own special economic circumstances and geography, its own range of 
energy resources and its own expertise and priorities. Therefore, each country will 
have its own way of using the Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development (EISD). 
The implementation process will depend on national policy goals, existing statistical 
capabilities and expertise, and the availability and quality of energy and other relevant 
data. Each country can make the most appropriate allocation of people and resources 
for the development of the EISD so as to obtain the greatest benefit at an affordable 
cost. 
4.1
Information Gathering 
Countries might need to evaluate their statistics programmes and data collection 
capabilities and the range and quality of their energy data. This might include a 
review of the agencies that collect and compile statistics, and an assessment of the 
energy data already being collected. The data required cover energy, demographics, 
economics and the environment for the country as a whole and within specific 
economic sectors (agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial and transport). 
Organizations for collecting statistics include central statistical offices, government 
departments, reserve banks, revenues offices, research institutes and non-
governmental organizations. 
To evaluate the energy statistical capacity and data availability that will support the 
implementation of the EISD core set, it is recommended that countries consider the 
following actions: 
• Determine which organizations are specifically responsible for each type of 
data collection and statistical analysis. 
• Review and ascertain the scope, quality and reliability of the basic data. This 
assessment might include data availability, collection frequency, time periods, 
quality, reliability and relevance. The statistics used in the EISD need to be 
consistent in form and definition. The units should be standardized throughout. 
• Determine whether energy indicators are already being used and, if so, which 
ones. It is also necessary to determine whether these indicators are consonant 
with, or can be complementary or supplemental to, the EISD. 
This review, and assembling the required data, could lead to several hurdles. Data 
may be difficult to find or may not exist. The responsibility for maintaining and 
monitoring energy databases and related activities (including data collection, 
compilation and analysis) is likely to reside in a number of institutions, such as 
national statistical offices, ministries of energy, economy, trade or industry, and 
environment and national energy commissions. The data required by one organization 

---

26 
might be collected by another, or there might be duplication of efforts or jurisdictional 
concerns. Therefore, a coordinating mechanism for the development and 
implementation of EISD might be needed to facilitate coordinated activities among 
major players. 
It might, therefore, be desirable to set up a body to liaise with all of the relevant 
organizations in the country and to coordinate their activities with the EISD effort. 
This national coordinating mechanism could take the form of a working group or 
committee based on existing institutional arrangements where possible, using the 
experience and expertise of extant organizations and making use of the widest 
possible consultation and participation of all stakeholders involved. The mechanism 
should be flexible and transparent. Such an effort should help to avoid duplication, 
inconsistencies and unnecessary data collection. It should also facilitate the 
incorporation of the analysis of these indicators into a broader range of ongoing 
statistical programmes. 
Countries might need to invest in improving their energy and other related statistics to 
take full advantage of the EISD. This includes improved data collection, monitoring 
and analysis at the national and regional levels. Missing data might need to be 
collected or derived. Data compilation and interpretation might need to be improved. 
This will require training and an assessment of the resources involved, including the 
cost of new data collection.