The State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan Republic

Environment

Methodological explanation

Environment is an aggregate of natural environment, natural-antropogenic objects, as well as antropogenic objects. Atmospheric air, water, land, flora and fauna is also components of the environment.
Harmful impact on the environment – changing of the different quantitative and qualitative components of the ecological system, chemical and biological imbalance of ecology, irrational use of natural resources and etc.
Area covering with forest is actually occupied with tree types, forming plantings.
Reforestation comprises activities aimed at restoration of forests on cutting areas, burnt out areas, waste grounds, glades and other former forestlands.
Reserves are unique and typical areas of geographic zones withdrawn from economic use for maintenance of natural complex and study of it within or out of boundaries of reserve for comparison with ecological situation.
Lands of protected area - lands, where natural complexes and objects which have environmental, scientific, historical, cultural, aesthetic, recreational and improving value and which are withdrawn by decisions of public authorities in completely or partly from standpoint of economic use and for which special protection is established.
Water sources consumption (use) - volume of consumed water removed from water fund for different purposes (surface and underground waters, boundary water objects, section of Caspian Sea refers to the Republic of Azerbaijan). This indicator does not include volume of water used for maintenance of navigation depth, lockage, and hydropower industry and etc.
Recycled and consequently used water refers to amounts of fresh water saved due to application of recycled and consequent water supply systems, including use of waste and sewage water. Recycling water use does not include consumption in industrial and communal heating systems.
The rate of recycled and consequently used water in total amount of industrial water consumption is calculated as the ratio of recycled and consequently used water to the total volume of this water and water consumption for industrial needs (excluding consumption of water for agricultural needs).
Waste water discharge into surface water objects divides into 3 categories: polluted (untreated water), effluents treated to standard quality and completely treated to standard quality.
Waste water – water which is of no further immediate value to the purpose for which it was used or in the pursuit of which it was produced because of its quality, quantity or time of occurrence. Rain water is not included.
Harmful substances and pollutants emitted into the atmosphere by stationary sources include total amount of all contaminants emitted to the air basin and harmful for human health and environment. There are 2 sources – stationary and mobile. Stationary sources divide into 2 groups: organized and non-organized.
Industrial waste - solid, semi-solid, liquid, or gaseous, unwanted or residual materials (not including hazardous or biodegradable wastes) from an industrial operation.
Investments to environment protection and rational use of natural resources are volume of investments for construction, reconstruction, expanding and technical re-equipment of concrete ecological and resource protecting capacities.