Sustainable Development Indicator (SDI) Group
SDI Inventory, Organized by Sponsoring Organization
Sustainable Development Indicator (SDI) Group
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration SDI

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provided the following to the SDI group for inclusion in the SDI Inventory. Clicking on the issue or the SDI Framework element name will allow you to view all related indicators.

Algal Blooms (171)
Definition: Algal blooms & ecosystem functioning
Issue: Environment Quality/Eutrophication
SDI Framework Element: Biota Population
Biota Population Characteristic: Number of Algae Blooms

Arctic Optical Depth (192)
Definition: Arctic haze/ optical depth
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Air Clarity

Carbon Dioxide (185)
Definition: CO2
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Amount of Greenhouse Gases

Climate Extremes Index (213)
Definition: Climate Extremes Index
Issue: Climate/Drought
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Amount of Precipitation

ClorFloroCarbons (190)
Definition: CFCs, HFCs
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Amount of Greenhouse Gases

Coastal Area Population (183)
Definition: Population increases in coastal areas
Issue: Land Use/Urbanization
SDI Framework Element: Human Habitat Capacity
Human Habitat Capacity Characteristic: Human Population

Coastal Housing (184)
Definition: Housing trends in coastal areas
Issue: Land Use/Urbanization
SDI Framework Element: Human Habitat Capacity
Human Habitat Capacity Characteristic: Area of Land

Coastal Resource Oil Spill (180)
Definition: Coastal resources at risk from spilled oil
Issue: Environment Quality/Toxic Chemical Releases
SDI Framework Element: Ecosystems, Estuarine
Ecosystems, Estuarine Characteristic: Length of Shoreline

Coastal Water Biodiversity (179)
Definition: Diversity & distribution of fishes & invertebrates in coastal waters
Issue: Biodiversity/Changing Biodiversity
SDI Framework Element: Species Diversity
Species Diversity Characteristic: Number of Species

Coastal Water Fish Kills (176)
Definition: Fish kills in coastal waters
Issue: Environment Quality/Contamination of Water
SDI Framework Element: Productive Capacity
Productive Capacity Characteristic: Number of Fish kills

Coastal Water Heavy Metals (172)
Definition: Heavy metal discharges to coastal waters
Issue: Environment Quality/Contamination of Water
SDI Framework Element: Discharges into Water
Discharges into Water Characteristic: Mass of Releases

Coastal Water Nutrients (170)
Definition: Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Nitrogen, & Phosphorus loadings into coastal waters (point & nonpoint sources)
Issue: Environment Quality/Eutrophication
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Nutrients

Coastal Water Oil Discharge (173)
Definition: Oil & grease discharges to coastal waters
Issue: Environment Quality/Toxic Chemical Releases
SDI Framework Element: Discharges into Water
Discharges into Water Characteristic: Mass of Releases

Coastal Water Oil Spills (175)
Definition: Oil spills in coastal waters
Issue: Environment Quality/Toxic Chemical Releases
SDI Framework Element: Discharges into Water
Discharges into Water Characteristic: Number of Releases

Coastal Water Pesticides (174)
Definition: Agricultural pesticide use in coastal areas coastal waters
Issue: Production/Pesticide Use
SDI Framework Element: Releases into Soils
Releases into Soils Characteristic: Mass of Pesticides

Drought (195)
Definition: Drought
Issue: Climate/Drought
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Water

Endangered Species (169)
Definition: Status of species listed under the ESA
Issue: Biodiversity/Species Extinction
SDI Framework Element: Species Diversity
Species Diversity Characteristic: Number of Species

ENSO (203)
Definition: ENSO, NAO
Issue: Resource/Water Resources
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Water

Estuarine Biota Impact (178)
Definition: Impacts on estuarine & marine biota
Issue: Environment Quality/Contamination of Biota
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Pollutants

Fish Catch (167)
Definition: Fish landings/amount & value
Issue: Resource/Declining Fisheries
SDI Framework Element: Crude Foods and Feeds
Crude Foods and Feeds Characteristic: Amount of Fish

Fish Stock Use (166)
Definition: Fish stocks/percent fully utilized
Issue: Resource/Declining Fisheries
SDI Framework Element: Productive Capacity
Productive Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Fish

Greenhouse Climate Response Index (215)
Definition: Arithmatic average of 1) percent of U.S. with much above normal minimum temperatures, 2) percent of U.S. with much above normal precipitation during the months of October through April, 3) percent of U.S. in extreme or severe drought during the months of May through September and 4) the percent of the U.S. with a much greater than normal proportion of precipitation derrived from extreme one day precipitation events (exceeding 2 inches).
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Temperature

Marine Biota Contaminants (177)
Definition: Chemical contaminants in estuarine & marine biota
Issue: Environment Quality/Contamination of Biota
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Pollutants

Maximum Temperature (197)
Definition: Maximum temperature
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Temperature

McKee Drought Index (209)
Definition: McKee index, % area in short/long- term drought
Issue: Climate/Drought
SDI Framework Element: Ecosystems, Land
Ecosystems, Land Characteristic: Area of Drought Land

Methane (186)
Definition: CH4
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Amount of Greenhouse Gases

Methane Isotopes (193)
Definition: CH4 Isotope
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Air Clarity

Minimum Temperature (198)
Definition: Minimum temperature
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Temperature

Nitrous Oxides (191)
Definition: N2O
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Amount of Greenhouse Gases

Ocean Surface Temperature (196)
Definition: Ocean Surface temperature
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Oceans
Oceans Characteristic: Temperature

Optical Depth (194)
Definition: Optical Depth
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Air Clarity

Palmer Drought Severity Index (210)
Definition: PDSI
Issue: Climate/Drought
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Area of Drought Land

Palmer Drought Severity Index (211)
Definition: PDSI % area in severe/ext. wet spell
Issue: Climate/Drought
SDI Framework Element: Ecosystems, Land
Ecosystems, Land Characteristic: Area of Drought Land

Precipitation Extremes (199)
Definition: Precipitation extremes
Issue: Climate/Drought
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Amount of Precipitation

Rainfall Frequency (218)
Definition: Rainfall frequency
Issue: Climate/Drought
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Amount of Precipitation

Sea Ice Volume (201)
Definition: Sea Ice
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Oceans
Oceans Characteristic: Volume of Sea Ice

Sea Mammal Population Change (168)
Definition: Marine mammals & sea turtles/percent that are stable or increasing
Issue: Biodiversity/Species Extinction
SDI Framework Element: Biota Population
Biota Population Characteristic: Number of Species

Sea Surface Temperature (222)
Definition: Sea surface temperature (from AVHRR)
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Oceans
Oceans Characteristic: Temperature

Shellfish Quality (182)
Definition: Quality of shellfish harvesting areas
Issue: Environment Quality/Contamination of Biota
SDI Framework Element: Productive Capacity
Productive Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Pollutants

Snow Cover (200)
Definition: Snow cover
Issue: Climate/Drought
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Area of Snow Cover

Snow cover (214)
Definition: Snow cover
Issue: Resource/Water Resources
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Area of Snow Cover

Snow Survey (219)
Definition: Snow survey
Issue: Resource/Water Resources
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Precipitation

Snow Water Equivalent (216)
Definition: Snow H2O equiv.
Issue: Resource/Water Resources
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Amount of Precipitation

Stratospheric Ozone Concentration (187)
Definition: O3 total
Issue: Climate/Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
SDI Framework Element: Stratosphere
Stratosphere Characteristic: Amount of Ozone

Stratospheric Temperature (204)
Definition: Stratospheric temp.
Issue: Climate/Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
SDI Framework Element: Stratosphere
Stratosphere Characteristic: Temperature

Stratospheric Water Vapor (189)
Definition: H2O stratospheric
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Stratosphere
Stratosphere Characteristic: Amount of Water Vapor

Streamflow Forecasts (217)
Definition: Streamflow forecasts
Issue: Resource/Water Resources
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Amount of Precipitation

Temperature Gradients (207)
Definition: Temp. gradients -- NH-SH, land-ocean, pole-equator
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Oceans
Oceans Characteristic: Temperature

Tornado Frequency (208)
Definition: Tornado frequency
Issue: Environment Quality/Natural Disasters
SDI Framework Element: Extreme Weather Events
Extreme Weather Events Characteristic: Number of Storms

Total Precipitation (212)
Definition: Total precip.
Issue: Climate/Drought
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Precipitation

Total Water Discharges (181)
Definition: Pollutant discharges from industrial, municipal, & power generating facilities
Issue: Environment Quality/Toxic Chemical Releases
SDI Framework Element: Discharges into Water
Discharges into Water Characteristic: Mass of Releases

Tropical Cyclones (205)
Definition: Tropical cyclones (frequency & intensity)
Issue: Environment Quality/Natural Disasters
SDI Framework Element: Extreme Weather Events
Extreme Weather Events Characteristic: Number of Storms

Tropospheric Ozone (188)
Definition: O3 tropospheric
Issue: Environment Quality/Air Quality
SDI Framework Element: Air Capacity
Air Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Ozone

Ultraviolet-B Radiation (221)
Definition: Ultraviolet-B radiation
Issue: Climate/Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
SDI Framework Element: Atmosphere
Atmosphere Characteristic: Radiation Flux

Vegetation Index (223)
Definition: Vegetation Index (from AVHRR)
Issue: Climate/Global Climate Change
SDI Framework Element: Ecosystems, Land
Ecosystems, Land Characteristic: Area of Land

Water Consumption by Use (354)
Definition: Total water consumed organized by use (agriculture, industrial, municipal, etc.)
Issue: Resource/Water Resources
SDI Framework Element: Economic Processes
Economic Processes Characteristic: Amount of Water

Water Resource Availability (220)
Definition: Total water available organized by major watersheds
Issue: Resource/Water Resources
SDI Framework Element: Water Capacity
Water Capacity Characteristic: Amount of Water

XtraCyclone (206)
Definition: XtraCyclone
Issue: Environment Quality/Natural Disasters
SDI Framework Element: Extreme Weather Events
Extreme Weather Events Characteristic: Number of Storms