Resultados y análisis de las pruebas de metanol residual

In selecting indicator themes a conceptual framework is needed in order to clarify what is to be measured, what to expect from the measurement and what kind of indicators to use (Carraro et al., 2009). Dimensions and themes make up the framework in which the indicators are selected and developed.

3.2.2.1 Step 2: Specify Dimensions

In the second step, the different dimensions for the indicator set were specified. Dividing the framework into different dimensions, helps to focus and clarify what is being measured, what to expect from the measurement and what kind of indicators to use (UNDESA, 2008). The dimensions chosen were nature, economy, society and wellbeing as suggested by the ISIS Compass of Sustainability and introduced in section 2.3.2.1

The ISIS Compass of Sustainability was chosen because it is adaptable to other indicator frameworks and it sets the basis for how sustainable development is defined and understood. The elements of the compass, or dimensions, are all dependent on each other for their existence, and each dimension is dependent on the one preceding it in a logical hierarchy (AtKisson et al., 2004). The Compass is based on a hierarchy from

ultimate ends for their wellbeing. The environment, including soil, can also be an ultimate end in itself, as can be seen in the sustainability goal defined in step 1, that states that soil functions need to be protected, not only for the wellbeing of humans but also for the wellbeing of the natural environment.

The Compass has mainly been used on a small scale by companies, schools and municipalities etc, but to be applicable for a larger scale sustainability assessment of a complex system, a more enunciated approach is needed, which is why the thematic approach together with the DPSIR framework were adapted here to the ISIS Compass framework.

Later on in the developmental process, as a part of step 9, the dimensions were reviewed. The society and wellbeing dimensions were merged into one dimension, simply called Society & wellbeing, as it often proved to be difficult to distinguish between the two dimensions when dealing with soil related indicators.

3.2.2.2 Step 3: Selection of Themes and Subthemes for Each Dimension

As part of the third step of the thematic approach, indicator themes and subthemes were chosen (See Table 2) for each dimension specified in step 2, to reflect the goals set in step 1. This step is in accordance with the fourth principle of the BellagioSTAMP that calls for the identification of domains for core indicators, within a conceptual framework.

The themes used in the United Nations Indicators of Sustainable Development set (See Table 1, page 29) were used as a starting point for the theme selection process. Themes that could be related to soil sustainability were used, and those that could not, were eliminated. The themes were continuously changing and evolving during the development of the indicator set. It should be noted that the final indicator framework developed here is be no means considered to cover all possible soil sustainability issues. The choice of the indicator themes should reflect important isseus conserning soil sustainability as defined in step 1.

Table 2 Dimensions, themes and subthemes used for the development of Soil Indicators For Sustainability.

Nature Economy Society & Wellbeing

Atmosphere Economic value of soil ecosystem services Institutional framework and capacity Biodiversity Consumption and production patterns Governance level

Soil Properties Land use Science, technology and education Physical

Chemical

Waste

Industry specific indicators for agriculture and forestry

Awareness and public participation

Biological Productivity Health

Economic viability Demographics

When selecting the themes for the SIFS indicator set, is was of outermost importance that they could reflect different issues of soil sustainability. For the nature dimensions the themes Atmosphere and Biodiversity, were chosen. The theme Land was replaced with the theme Soil Properties, which was then subdivided into three subthemes; physical, chemical and biological, which is a common way to distinguish between soil properties in the literature and in soil quality indicator sets (Arshad & Cohen, 1992; Bouma, 1989; Doran & Parkin, 1994; Larson & Pierce 1991). Themes such as Natural Hazards, Oceans and Seas and Coast and Fresh Waters were not included at this time as these themes were not thought to be directly relevant to soil sustainability. In future iterations of the indicator set, some of these themes should perhaps be reconsidered. One of soils important functions is to store and filtrate water which relates it to Fresh water and Oceans and Seas and Coast.

In the economy dimensions Consumption and Production Patterns was chosen. The theme Economic Value of Soil Ecosystem services was added to the SIFS indicator set as this issue is seen as of great importance for the sustainability of soil and activities supported by soil ecosystem services. Ecosystem services of soils are essential for the sustainability of agriculture and forestry. The theme Industry Specific Indicators was added because of the importance of soil for industries. In this version of the SIFS indicator set the main focus is put on agriculture and forestry as operational practices in these industries are extremely important for the sustainability of the soil. Other soil based or related industries, such as mining, were not included at this time, as these industries are not subjected of the SoilTrEC project. They are, however, important for the sustainability of the soil and should be considered in later iterations of the SIFS indicator set. That theme includes subthemes that were thought to cover economic development. The theme Global economic partnership was excluded as it was not thought to be directly relevant to soil sustainability.

As mentioned above the society and wellbeing dimensions were merged into one dimension, called Society & Wellbeing. The themes and subthemes chosen included Governance, Health, and Demographics. The themes Security, Awareness and Public Participation and Institutional Framework and Capacity were added from previous edition of the CSD indicator set (United Nations Division for Sustainable Development, 2001) as these were thought to be relevant to soil sustainability. The theme Poverty was not included at this time. Poverty was among the 360 possible indicators identified in the beginning of the indicator development process, but was ruled out in later development of the indicator process as it proved to be difficult to directly link the indicator to soil sustainability.