The General Authority for Statistics uses a unified working methodology that is consistent with the nature of each statistical product in all of its statistical work. As a result, it is dependent on the Manual of Statistical Proceedings in accordance with the international organizations established working procedures. The statistical product has eight basic phases, plus a ninth phase known as "Comprehensive Management," as shown in the following illustrations and explanations:  

The first three phases (Scope, Design and Organization) are cooperative ones; conducted by GASTAT jointly with the developmental bodies benefiting from its data. Likewise, the fourth phase (Data Collection) is a cooperative stage conducted by the Authority jointly with the statistical population (households or establishments) to get the data and information. The following three phases (Tabulation, Revision and Publication) are purely statistical ones, undertaken by the Authority. Then, the eighth phase (Evaluation) is conducted jointly with the beneficiaries. ‘Management’ is an organizational and managerial phase running throughout all previous phases. Those phases have been applied to the Environment Statistics as follows:  

It is the starting point for the production of the Environment Statistics Publication, and is and is the initial step of collaboration between the General Authority for Statistics and its partners from government agencies represented in: Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture; Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing; National Center for Waste Management; National Center for Meteorology; Saline Water Conversion Corporation; National Water Company. Those entities were approached as data providers and beneficiaries at the same time, in order to reach an understanding of the needs, identify the requirements of the data users, and take into account the views of those entities to ensure the achievement of all the objectives of Environment Statistics, which are summarized as follows:

• Support of decision-makers, policy-makers, researchers and those interested in updated and comprehensive statistics related to environment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia .
• Create a database that can be used as a reliable basis to support those interested and specialized in the field of Environment Statistics.
• Use this data for local, regional and international comparison purposes.

It is during this phase that a complete design for the statistical product is set forth. During this phase, the data collection method and tools are identified. The beneficiaries are engaged in all these processes, and their feedback is taken into account, so that the product would live up to their expectations.

Key outputs of this phase are:  

1.Statistics sources:

The Environment Statistics Publication obtains its data from two primary sources, allowing it to give complete data on Environment Statistics in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Statistics from the General Authority for Statistics (censuses, sample surveys) and from administrative records are provided by these two sources. Such data may be gathered on an annual and regular basis to be calculated and included by GASTAT in the Environment Statistics Publication.

The following table shows the data sources in of the Environment Statistics Publication:

2.Terms and Concepts Related to Environment Statistics Publication:

• Environment Statistics: Statistics that describe the state and trends of the environment, covering the media of the natural environment (air/climate, water, land/soil), the biota within the media, and human settlements. Environment Statistics tend by nature to achieve integration as they measure human activities and natural events that affect the environment, the effects of these activities and events, the social response to environmental impacts, and the quality and availability of natural assets.

• Air Temperature: The temperature of the atmosphere which represents the average kinetic energy of the molecular motion in a small region and is defined in terms of a standard thermometer.

• Rain: The amount of water falling in rain, during a certain time and region.

• Atmospheric Pressure: It is the pressure inside the Earth's atmosphere, and is defined by the combined weight of the air molecules present in that layer.

• Wind Speed: Wind speed describes how quickly air moves beyond a certain point. This may be an average on a certain unit of time, such as miles per hour, or instant speed.

• Dam: It is an artificial barrier or obstacle that traps water including any solids or other materials that may be present in it.

• Torrents: Heavy amount of water resulting from rainwater falling above the ground. Torrents often occur in mountainous areas and valley areas, and run at great speeds.

• Land Degradation: The reduction or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rain-fed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest or woodlands resulting from natural processes, land uses or other human activities and habitation patterns such as land contamination, soil erosion and the destruction of the vegetation cover.

• Rangelands: Lands predominantly occupied by native vegetation which is grazed by herbivores or rodents.

• Protected Area: Any area of land or water that has been allocated for a special purpose, often to prevent or minimize damage to wildlife and ecosystems.

• Forests: Land with a tree canopy cover of more than 10% and an area of more than 0.5 hectares.

• Acidity (or pH): pH is a measure of how acidic/basic water is. The range goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. pH of less than 7 indicate acidity, whereas a pH of greater than 7 indicates a base. The pH of water is a very important measurement concerning water quality.

• Nitrogenous oxygen demand: A quantitative measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen required for the biological oxidation of nitrogenous material.

• Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD): It is an indicator of the degree of organic contamination in water by calculating the dissolved oxygen required by organisms for aerobic degradation of organic substances found in water
• Chemical oxygen demand (COD): It is an indirect test to measure the amount of organic compounds in water and the amount of organic pollutants found in surface water or wastewater

• Salinity: The degree of dissolved salts in water measured by weight in parts per thousand.

• Water Temperature: Water temperature is a physical property expressing how hot or cold water is. Temperature can further be defined as a measurement of the average thermal energy of a substance. Thermal energy is the kinetic energy of atoms and molecules, so temperature in turn measures the average kinetic energy of the atoms and molecules. This energy can be transferred between substances as the flow of heat. Heat transfer, whether from the air, sunlight, another water source or thermal pollution can change the temperature of water. 

• Phosphorus: An essential component of organisms growth and contributes to enriching the water of lakes and other water bodies with nutrients.

• Electricity: Electricity is obtained as a secondary energy source from nuclear fission heat generated by nuclear fuels and from geothermal and solar thermal energy, and by burning major combustible fuel sources such as coal, natural gas, oil, living mass and waste. After electricity production, it is distributed to end consumers through national or international transmission and distribution networks.

• Hydropower: Kinetic and potential energy of water that is converted into electricity in hydroelectric plants, and includes pumping electricity generation.

• Wind Energy: Kinetic energy of wind exploited for electricity generation in wind turbines.

• Fisheries: According to the Fishing Regulations on Fishing Licenses, marine fisheries have been divided into two parts, namely investment fisheries and conventional fisheries.

• Investment Fisheries: Fisheries that operate fishing boats larger than nine meters in length and have modern equipment such as a fish finder, electronic navigation devices, communication devices, as well as a winch and highly efficient fishing means.
• Traditional Fisheries: Fisheries that operate traditional fishing boats ranging in length from five to twenty meters without the use of modern navigation and electronic equipment mentioned above, except for the use of a winch and shrimp bottom trawls in the Arabian Gulf.

• Agricultural Production: Agricultural production is divided into two parts, plant production and animal production. Production is defined as the actual quantity of (a) plant production: Crop harvested and ready for sale or consumption after deducting the harvest loss. Crops are divided into two parts, temporary crops and permanent crops (b) Animal production: The use of agricultural animals in order to get the highest level of productivity with lowest cost. It includes all the things we get from animals, such as: meat, milk (with its derivatives), wool, leather, hair and fertilizers.

• Organic Agriculture: A holistic agricultural production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.

• Organic Products: Organic products are defined as products that were grown or produced without use of genetically modified hormones or chemicals, such as preservatives and flavourings. In producing crops, the farmer resorts to using natural fertilizers; in order to strengthen and increase plant growth so that it is classified as organic food, it consists of two types: 

• Animal Organic Products: Organic animal products are made without giving animals or birds on farms any antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones.
• Organic Plant Products: Plant organic products are food produced from organic farming which does not use industrial fertilizers, pesticides containing chemicals, or genetically enhanced or modified materials.

• Fertilizers: Natural or processed chemical or organic materials added to soil or irrigation water according to specific rations to provide plants with the necessary nutrients, which contain at least 5% of one or more of the three nutrients (nitrogen, phosphate, potassium).

• Groundwater: Underground fresh water or saline water (usually in aquifers) supplies water to wells.

• Surface Water: All water naturally open to the atmosphere, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, streams, impoundment’s, seas, estuaries and so on. The term also covers springs, wells or other collectors of water that are directly influenced by surface waters.

• Fresh Water: It is water with low salts concentration, and it is considered suitable water for extraction and treatment to produce potable water.

• Water Treatment: A process to render water withdrawn from any source suitable for first use; and water used by mechanical, biological and advanced procedures.

• Desalinated Water: The total volume of water obtained from desalination of seawater and brackish water.

• Reused Water: Used water directly received from another user with or without treatment to be used for other purposes. It also includes treated wastewater obtained from treatment plants for use for other purposes. It excludes wastewater discharged into a watercourse and used again downstream; and recycling of water within industrial sites.

• Wastewater: Discharge of effluent from waste water treatment plants which receive waste water from households, commercial establishments, and industriesز

• Catch: The catch is a product obtained by fishing and comprises all landings of fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and shellfisheries, as well as any captured animals or plants. The catch that was discarded is not tallied. The catch is calculated using the live weight of the fish in kilograms or metric tons. As a result, any catch landing as eviscerated fish, gill-less fish, or any other form must be converted into live weight. Catch information is frequently gathered through in-person observation of the number of fish or ship's tackles. The fish weights are calculated by multiplying the observed number of fish, containers, or ship's tackles by the average weight of the fish, container, or ship's tackle as determined by a previous survey of these species.

• Aquaculture: Farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants. Farming implies some form of intervention in the rearing process to enhance production, such as regular stocking, feeding and protection from predators.

• Waste: Everyday waste resulting from human activities. Its percentage is on the rise in developing countries, especially where there is overpopulation. Without public health awareness, waste can lead to serious harm. It does not include recycled or reused materials; and is divided into:

• Organic Waste: Biodegradable materials, such as food and garden waste.
• Inorganic Waste: Waste that does not contain organic compounds such as plastics, metals.
• Municipal Waste: Waste material usually generated in the residential environment. Waste with similar characteristics may be generated in other economic activities.
• Municipal Waste Generated: The sum of the amount of municipal waste collected plus the estimated amount of municipal waste from areas not served by a municipal waste collection service.
• Collected Municipal Waste: Municipal waste collected by or on behalf of municipalities, as well as municipal waste collected by the private sector. It includes mixed waste, and fractions collected separately for recovery operations (through door-to-door collection and/or through voluntary deposits).
• Industrial Waste: Solid, liquid and gaseous waste arising from the manufacture of products.

• Waste Management: Various activities include:

• Collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste.
• Control, monitor and regulate the generation, collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste.
• Prevent the generation of waste through modifications within production processes, reuse and recycling.

• Recycling: Processing and use waste in production and consumption processes, such as smelting iron waste so that it can be converted into iron products.
• Waste Processing: Physical, thermal, chemical or biological processes, which change the properties of wastes in order to reduce their size or hazardous nature, to facilitate their handling or to enhance recovery.

• Landfilling: Final placement of waste under the surface in a controlled or non-controlled manner. The definition covers both landfilling in internal sites (i.e., where a generator of waste is carrying out its own waste disposal at the place of generation) and in external sites.

• Transition Stations: Stations that are used at some stage of waste transportation process to treatment sites and facilities, waste sorting or to final disposal sites in order to reduce the cost of transportation.

• Waste Incineration: The controlled combustion of waste with or without energy recovery.

• Safe "Improved” Drinking Water Source: Piped water into dwelling, plot or yard; public tap or standpipe; protected dug well; protected spring and rainwater.

• Safe “Improved” Sanitation Facilities: Flush or pour flush toilets connected to a piped sewer system, septic tanks, or pit latrines; ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines; pit latrines with slab; and composting toilets.

• Water Supply: Water distribution, including collection, treatment and storage, for use in a town, city or municipal area, which is generally used to meet domestic and industrial needs.

• Public Network: The network that transports water from sources and storage basins to places of use in addition to pipes and networks located inside residential units and near sources of pure water.

• Public Sewage Network: All extensions and equipment used to collect, transport and deliver sewage effluents to treatment or discharge sites, including pipe extensions, collection tanks, manholes, pumping stations, ventilation valves, etc.

• Green Spaces: It is a place prepared with grass, flowers or trees in gardens, parks, playgrounds and squares that are not intended for agricultural use.

3.Indicators:

Some of the most prominent indicators in the Environment Statistics Publication are:

4.Adopted statistical classifications:

Classification of data and information allows for placing them into meaningful categories to produce useful statistics, considering that data collection requires precise and methodological arrangement in accordance with their common features so that the statistics can be reliable and comparable. The Environment Statistics Publication is subject to international standards in terms of collecting and classifying its data as it uses the following classification:

Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013):

It is a flexible, multipurpose conceptual and statistical framework that is comprehensive and integrative in nature. It has been prepared by the United Nations Statistics Division. It marks out the scope of environment statistics and provides an organizing structure to guide their collection and compilation at the national level and to synthesize data from various subject areas and sources. It is also of a general and holistic nature encompassing environmental issues and aspects relevant to policy analysis and decision-making by applying it to cross-sectoral issues, and is consistent with other environmental frameworks such as the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).

The framework is significant because it actively contributes to:

1) Mark out the scope of Environment Statistics.

2) Facilitate a synthesized presentation of data from various subject areas and sources.

3) Simplify the complexity of the environmental topics appropriately so that the environmental indicators can be measured more easily.

4) Help to identify the range of Environment Statistics relevant to societal decision-making.

5) Deal consistently with statistical frameworks already used in other domains to facilitate the integration of Environment Statistics with other statistics.

6) Is conceptually based.

The framework organizes Environment Statistics in a simple and flexible manner, and consists of six main sections, which are as follows:

Section One: Environmental Conditions and Quality:

Section One includes statistics about the physical, biological and chemical characteristics of the environment and their changes over time. These fundamental background conditions are strongly interrelated and determine the types, extent, conditions and health of eco- systems. Many of these natural conditions change very slowly as a result of natural processes or human influence. Others may show immediate and dramatic effects. Importantly, changes in environmental conditions and quality are the result of combined and accumulated impacts of natural and human processes.

Section Two: Environmental Resources and Their Use:

Environmental resources or assets (as they are referred to in the SEEA-CF) are the naturally occurring living and non-living components of the earth. Environmental resources include natural resources, such as soil resources, biological resources and water resources, and land. They may be naturally renewable e.g., fish, timber or water, or non-renewable e.g., minerals.

Section II is closely related to the accounts of assets and physical flows within the central framework of the Environmental and Economic Accounting System, so that it is based on the definitions and terminology contained in the system. Section Two is closely related to the asset and physical flow accounts of the SEEA-CF on which the terms and definitions are based.

Section Three: Residuals:

Residuals are flows of solid, liquid and gaseous materials, and energy, that are discarded, discharged or emitted by establishments and households through processes of production, consumption or accumulation. Residuals may be discarded, discharged or emitted directly to the environment or be captured, collected, treated, recycled or reused. This component contains statistics on the amount and characteristics of residuals generated by human production and consumption processes, their management, and their final release to the environment.

The FDES covers the main groups of residuals that are emissions of substances to air, water or soil, wastewater and waste, and residuals of chemical substances.

Section Four: Extreme Events and Disasters:

This component organizes statistics regarding the occurrence and impacts of unusual events and disasters on human wellbeing and on the infrastructure of the human sub-system.

The most common data providers for statistics on disasters and extreme events are national and subnational authorities responsible for disaster management and assistance in the event of disasters, as well as seismic research and monitoring centres.

Section Five: Human Settlements and Environmental Health:

This section contains statistics on the environment in which humans live and work, particularly with regard to living conditions and environmental health. These statistics are important for the management and improvement of conditions related to human settlements, shelter conditions, safe water, sanitation and health, particularly in the context of rapid urbanization, increasing pollution, environmental degradation, disasters, severe and extreme events and climate change.

Under each of the previous five sections there are several subsections (sub-component) and each subsection includes measurable statistical topics.

Section Six: Environmental Protection, Management and Engagement:

This section organizes information on environmental protection and resource management expenditure to improve the environment and maintain ecosystem health. Statistics on environmental governance, institutional strength, enforcement of regulations and extreme event preparedness are also considered. This component also includes information on a wide variety of programmes and actions to increase awareness, including environmental information and education, as well as private and community activities aimed at diminishing environmental impacts and improving the quality of local environments.

5.Coverage:

The FDES 2013 consists of 458 individual statistics organized into a structure (sections, sub-sections and topics); four of which are addressed in this first version of the publication according to availability and conformity. The Basic Set is split into three tiers of statistics.

According to the tiers of the "Basic Set of Environment Statistics", a number of statistics were covered as follows:

First Tier: According to the available data, 26 statistics were covered out of 100 high-priority statistics based on a sound methodological basis.

Second Tier: According to available data, 18 statistics were covered out of 200 priority Environment Statistics, however they require methodological development.

Third Tier: According to available data, 7 statistics were covered out of 158 Environment Statistics that are either of low priority or require significant methodological development.

It is the final preparation phase. In this phase, the required workflow procedures are established for preparing the Environment Statistics Publication, starting with the next “Collection Phase” and ending with the “Evaluation Phase”, and the organization and grouping of those procedures. The optimal sequence of those procedures is chosen to arrive to a methodology that achieves the objectives of the Environment Statistics Publication. Those procedures were also described and documented to facilitate any updates in future iterations. The statistical workflow procedures were tested and examined to ensure their compliance with the requirements of preparing the Environment Statistics Publication in its final form, approve the procedures of statistical workflow, and develop a roadmap for implementation.

GASTAT has collaborated with the relevant government bodies to obtain data on Environment Statistics from administrative records available at those bodies via formal communication to the data owners. The data is sent via e-mail and various means of transfer. The data is then uploaded and maintained on GASTAT databases in order to prepare for inspection and Revision in accordance with scientific statistical approach and recognized quality standards. The data owner is referred to if any observations are detected. It has also been coordinated with the relevant departments to provide them with data from surveys and censuses that meet the needs of Environment Statistics.

The data tabulation of the Saudi Environment Statistics Publication was based on the classification used in FDES 2013.

During this phase, the specialists performed data processing and analysis based on the following procedures:

• Sorting and arranging data in sequence or in different sets or categories.
• Summarizing detailed data into key points or data.
• Combining many data segments and ensuring their interconnection.
• Processing missing or incomplete data.
• Processing illogical data.
• Converting data into statistically significant data.
• Organizing, presenting, and interpreting data.

Data are presented in proper tables so that they may be simply summarised, understood, comprehended, and extracted, as well as compared to other data and statistical significances regarding the selected statistical community. Furthermore, such data may be conveniently accessed in the form of tables.

First: Data outputs validation:

Following the processing and verification of the data obtained in the Fourth Phase, GASTAT performed calculations and result extraction, uploaded the outputs, and stored them on the database. Final audits were performed by specialists utilising contemporary and software techniques suited for Revision and audit purposes.

Second: Dealing with confidential data:

According to Royal Decree No. 23 dated 07/12/1397, data must always be kept confidential, and must be used by GASTAT for statistical purposes only. Therefore, the data are protected in the data servers of GASTAT.

First: Preparation and Process of the Results Designed for Publishing:

In this phase, GASTAT coordinated, organized and reviewed the data results of the Publication. Next, it prepared tables and charts of data and indicators, and added the metadata and methodology in both English and Arabic.

Second: Preparing Media Kit and Announcing the Date of the Release:

GASTAT already announced the Publication date on its official website at the beginning of the year. In this phase, GASTAT prepares media materials to announce the Publication release on various platforms, including social media. GASTAT then releases the Publication on the defined date first on its website using different formats, such as open data in Excel files,  

to ensure easy dissemination and access for all clients and anyone interested in Environment Statistics. The Publication is also uploaded to the website’s statistics library. 

Third: Communication with Clients and Providing them with the Publication: 

GASTAT believes in the importance of communicating with the clients who use its data. Therefore, once the Environment Statistics Publication is released, GASTAT communicates with the clients and provide them with the Publication. GASTAT receives the questions and enquiries of the clients about the Publication and its results through the following channels:     

• GASTAT’s website:   www.stats.gov.sa 
• GASTAT’s email: info@stats.gov.sa
• Client support’s email  cs@stats.gov.sa
• An official visit to the headquarters of GASTAT in Riyadh or one of its branches in the regions of the Kingdom.
• Official letters.
• Statistical help line (920020081).

After the Publication is released and received by all GASTAT’s clients, the clients are contacted again in this phase which allows for evaluating the whole statistical process that was carried out, with the aim of constant improvement to obtain high-quality data. Proposed improvements may include methodologies, processes, systems, statisticians’ skills and statistical frameworks. This phase is done in collaboration with data users and GASTAT’s clients through a number of steps:

First: Collecting measurable evaluation inputs:

Collected evaluation inputs are analyzed, and the results of this analysis are compared with pre-anticipated results. Accordingly, potential improvements and solutions are identified and discussed with specialists and experts; and concerned parties are duly involved. In this phase, the performance and satisfaction of clients’ use of the results of the Saudi Environment Statistics Publication are measured. Based on that, recommendations are developed to enhance the quality of the results of the next Saudi Environment Statistics publications.

Second: Evaluation:

Collected evaluation inputs are analyzed, and the results of this analysis are compared with pre-anticipated results. Accordingly, potential improvements and solutions are identified and discussed with specialists and experts; and concerned parties are duly involved. In this phase, the performance and satisfaction of clients’ use of the results of the Saudi Environment Statistics Publication are measured. Based on that, recommendations are developed to enhance the quality of the results of the next Saudi Environment Statistics publications.

It is a comprehensive phase applies to each phase of the Environment Statistics production. During this phase, the plan of production is developed, which includes the feasibility study, risk management, financing methods, in addition to publication spending mechanisms. The plan also covers the development of performance indicators, quality standards and workforce map required for production. The tasks assigned to different departments at each phase will be monitored and reported to ensure that GASTAT meets its obligations towards its clients.