Millennium Challenge CorporationA random image.A random image.A random image.
Printed from www.mcc.gov

 

Natural Resource Management Indicator Search

In its authorizing legislation, the MCC is directed to use objective and quantifiable indicators to evaluate a country's demonstrated commitment to, among other things, economic policies that promote the sustainable management of natural resources. MCC conducted a public process, spearheaded by MCC Board Member Governor Christine Todd Whitman, to seek broad input from experts and key stakeholders on a natural resources management indicator or index.

Where We Are Now

October 2006

MCC has adopted two measures for use as supplemental information in the FY07 selection process: a Natural Resource Management Index from Columbia University's Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) and the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, and a Land Rights and Access Index which includes an indicator from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and two indicators from the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The modification to the land measure was a result of technical consultations with the land policy community. While both indices will be used as supplemental information for Fiscal Year 2007, MCC intends to recommend to the Board both indices as selection indicators in the near future.

The links below lead to the sources of the natural resource management data used in the selection of eligible countries.

To see a summary of how candidate countries perform on these indicators, see the FY07 Rankings.

July 2006

In July 2006, MCC concluded its review of the 8 ideas for a natural resources management indicator. These were the results:

During the last three selection cycles, MCC has provided its Board with supplemental quantitative and qualitative information about countries' performance in this area.

 

Launch of the Public Process

At the same time, MCC pursued identification of a single existing indicator that meets our general criteria and the legislative mandate. In February 2005, MCC launched a public process, spearheaded by Governor Whitman, to seek broad input from experts and key stakeholders in the environmental community.

Public Consultation

In the search for a Natural Resources indicator, the MCC consulted extensively with a broad range of environmental experts, think tanks, NGOs, scholars, the Congress, and various US government offices. In February 2005, MCC invited experts with a range of experience to participate in a Natural Resources Working Group and invited them to provide input into the process by identifying available indicators, formally proposing new or existing indicators or serving as an evaluator of any proposals received by the MCC. During these consultations, MCC researched and catalogued over 120 potential natural resource indicators.

Many of those consulted suggested MCC convene a gathering of experts in this field to take stock of existing and emerging research and to discuss the merits and shortcomings of potential indicators. In response, in June 2005, MCC worked with The Brookings Institution to bring together some of the top experts in the field of natural resources management, environmental indicators, and environmental economics. We discussed and evaluated potential indicators and announced a “call for ideas” to seek formal suggestions for an indicator by institutions that manage such data. MCC provided an outline of the process through which proposals would be evaluated and introduced the expert evaluators.

More Details