Download Family of International Classifications

Classifications for
potential inclusion in the
Family
United Nations Statistics Division
History
 At its meeting in 2011, the Expert
Group reviewed the previous mandate
of the group and the previously used
concept of the Family of International
Economic and Social Classifications
 The group agreed on a change of the
scope of the Family as follows:
New Family
 The EG agreed that the concept of the
International Family of Classifications
should be maintained
 It should be referred to as the
International Family of Classifications,
rather than International Family of
Economic and Social Classifications
 indicates that classifications from other
statistical domains, like environment
statistics, are included as well
New Family
 The Family will be restricted to
international classifications only, i.e. it
will not include regional or national
classifications and it will be restricted to
statistical classifications
 The scope of the Family was changed
from its previous narrow scope to
include all international classifications
that represent standards for a given
statistical domain
New Family
 A first list of classifications was
supposed to be developed using the
Classification of Statistical Activities,
identifying relevant international
classifications for each domain
 After review of the classifications in the
list, a decision will be taken on how to
categorize the classifications according
to their degree of compliance with the
best practices criteria.
New process
 Did the CSA approach work well?
 Identifies areas, but not easily the
standards
 Alternative approach
 Since the Family is supposed to be
restricted to international classifications
only, it may be more reliable to consider
as candidates for the Family all
classifications that have been embedded
in adopted international standards
New approach
 This approach on one hand ensures that
the classifications have gone through an
official approval process – even though
not explicitly for the classifications
themselves
 therefore they are recognized and
recommended for use at a world-wide level
 On the other hand it ensures better
coverage, since it is easier to identify
the key standards in different statistical
domains
New approach
 Where dedicated organizations/offices
exist for specialized fields of
statistics, their expertise can help to
identify the standards and
classifications to be included
Derived and related
classifications
 In the past only applied to regional /
national classifications
 Has less meaning in the traditional
Family, when restricted to
international classifications
 May also be possible for international
classifications (with extended scope)
 e.g. with WHO definitions
 interesting: related = candidates ?
Examples
 The following table summarizes the
classifications found in the following
areas and frameworks:
 System of National Accounts (SNA 2008)
 System of Environmental-Economic
Accounting (SEEA)
 Framework for the Development of
Environment Statistics (FDES)
 Agricultural Statistics
 Health (WHO-FIC) is another example
 Total classifications listed here: 48
 Only 11of those were part of the
“traditional” Family
 International Standard Industrial Classification of All
Economic Activities
 Central Product Classification
 Standard International Trade Classification
 Harmonized commodity description and coding System
 International Standard Classification of Occupations
 International Classification of Status in Employment
 Classification of the Functions of Government
 Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose
 Classification of the Purposes of Non-profit Insitutions
Serving Households
 Classification of Outlays of Producers by Purpose
 International Classification of Diseases










International Classification of Non-Profit Organizations
Classification of Environmental Activities
Classification of aquatic resources
International Standard Statistical Classification for
Aquatic Animals and Plants
Land Cover Classification
Land Use Classification or Classification of Land Use
Standard International Energy Product Classification
United Nations Framework Classification for Fossil Energy
and Mineral Reserves and Resources, 2009
Classes of natural inputs
Classification of groups of residuals (also: List of Solid
Waste)








Classification of environmental assets
Classification of inland water bodies
SNA institutional sector classification
Common International Classification of Ecosystem
Services
UNECE Standard Statistical Classification of Marine Water
Quality (1992)
UNECE Standard Statistical Classification of Surface
Freshwater Quality for the Maintenance of Aquatic Life
(1992)
UNECE Standard Statistical Classification of Ambient Air
Quality (1990)
CRED EMDAT general classifications










IUCN classification of protected areas
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Government Finance Statistics Manual
Balance of Payments and International Investment
Position Manual
Classification of assets
Classification of non-financial assets
Classification of financial assets and liabilities
UNECE Classification of Statistical Activities
FAOSTAT commodity list
Definitions and classifications of agricultural machinery
and equipment








Definitions and classifications of pesticides
Definitions and classification of land use and irrigation
Classification and definitions of forest products 1982
International Standard Statistical Classification of Fishery
Commodities
International Standard Statistical Classification of Fishing
Gears
International Standard Statistical Classification of Fishery
Vessels
FAO Major Fishing Areas
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification
WHO-FIC
 The WHO Family of International
Classifications also provides an
interesting example of how to
categorize the members into derived
and related classifications
Questions
 Is the approach described
acceptable?
 Where do we want to draw the
boundaries of the Family?
 Advantages / disadvantages
 Can we apply a subdivision?
 Would there be “candidates”?
 What would the actual process of
“induction” be?