The gvt requested ADB to provide a TA to help the Ministry of Env. Protection (MEP) in (i) designing the PRC?s future env. stats system institutional framework, including a detailed action plan for reforming env. stats system, and (ii) preparing technical guidelines on accounting methods for livestock-related pollutants. The expected TA impact will be enhanced institutional framework and capacity for monitoring and ensuring env. sustainability in the PRC. The expected TA outcome will be  MEP equipped with an improved technical and institutional framework for reform of env. stats system in the PRC. The TA will produce the following outputs: Output 1: A review of int. experiences in env. stats systems and approaches prepared. The TA will review international experiences (with a focus on the United States and the Asian region, particularly Japan) in env. stats and reporting. The following suboutputs will be produced as part of this output: (i) a summary of int. experience in data collection, reporting, verification, quality assurance control, data application and analysis, and institutional arrangements, including the supporting legal and policy framework, (ii) a summary of livestock-related pollutants? accounting methods from different Asian countries, with subsequent recommendations for the PRC?s agricultural pollutants? accounting system, (iii) a review and synthesis of international env. data analysis and application,  and env. stats management from major Asian countries, resulting in recommendations for the PRC?s env. data analysis and application system, and (iv) a final report that incorporates suboutputs (i)?(iii) and makes recommendations.Output 2: A roadmap for an improved technical and institutional framework for the env. stats system for the PRC prepared. Based on dvlpt trends in international env. stats systems and the results of the pilot testing, the TA will propose the PRC?s future env. stats system technical and institutional framework. The TA will also initiate and prepare a detailed action plan for reforming the environmental statistics system, and clarify short-term objectives and long-term tasks. The overall objective of this framework will be to outline the detailed procedures and steps for environmental statistics reform. The framework will also address in detail all the relevant technical standards, regulations, and provisions for each step of the full cycle of environmental statistics system (i.e., from the preparation to its application for environmental management).Output 3: Technical guidelines on accounting methods for livestock-related pollutants prepared. Specific suboutputs related to the preparation of technical guidelines include (i) draft technical guidelines based on international and national experiences, (ii) detailed accounting methods for major livestock-related pollution parameters (i.e., chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and ammonia), (iii) detailed reports synthesizing results from t