Governing environmental issues through indicators

This paper explores the role played by indicators in relation to the protection of the environment. It tries to seize the potential they offer to steer global environmental issues. Indeed, indicators are a salient mean to quantify, measure and assess all kind of developments. Designed by either public or private actors, their characteristics and the delineation of their measurement features are determining to ensure their validity, effectiveness and reliability. Their impact is the result of several intertwined features: their scientific basis, use as policy and governance instruments, role as auditing practice and as regulatory measure