2. Alessandra Alfieri, UNSD
Update on the on-going work on classifications related to Environmental-Economic Accounting
Alessandra Alfieri, UNSD
Meeting of the Expert Group on International Statistical Classifications
New York, 6-8 September 2017

3. Outline
Classification of Environmental Activities (CEA) and in particular the Classification of Resource Management (CReMA) and its link with the Classification of Environmental Protection Activities (CEPA) – work lead by Eurostat
Classification of Biodiversity Expenditures – work led by UNDP as part of the BIOFIN initiative
Classification of Ecosystem Services and its link to the land cover classification – work in coordination between EEA, US EPA, Eurostat, UNSD, academia and selected NSOs
Classification of land cover/land use and ecosystem types

4. (1) Classification of Environmental Activities (CEA)
Classification of Environmental Activities (CEA) in the SEEA Central Framework encompasses:
Classification of Environmental Protection Activities (CEPA)
Classification of Resource Management Activities (CReMA)
CEPA is part of the family of classifications with Eurostat as custodian
CReMA is “interim” as little experience was available in countries
Main issues:
definition of resource management (only natural resources or also cultivated assets);
classification of environmental activities (integrated classification of CEPA and CReMA)

5. (1) CEA – revision process
CEA is on the research agenda of the SEEA Central Framework, with Eurostat taking the lead.
Task Force established by Eurostat to review the existing classifications of environmental activities and propose a uniform structure
First meeting of the Task Force: September 2017
: draw upon the country experience with practical implementation of the classifications CEPA and CReMA
By 2019: develop a revised and integrated international classification
After 2019: discuss the proposal with a wider statistical community, obtain the approval of the UNCEEA, and present it for adoption to the UN Statistical Commission

6. (2) Classification of Biodiversity Expenditures
Scope of the classification is to track how much is being spent on biodiversity outcomes.
Scope of the review is to overcome the differences in approach, definitions, and methodologies between the multiple approaches, i.e. SEEA, BIOFIN, CBD, SDG 15, and Rio Markers.
A group under the auspices of the SEEA Technical Committee on the SEEA Central Framework has been established led by UNDP and with participation of countries and international agencies.
The next steps are:
Agree on the objective and scope (primary purpose only? If not alternative aggregation based on CEA?): how to align the different approaches;
Produce a concept paper;
Produce a case study analysis based on the experience of Mexico;
A compilation guideline for countries to use is developed and piloted in ;
Coordination established with the work on the CEPA/CReMA

7. (3) Classification of Ecosystem Services
The classification is to encompass a comprehensive, mutually exclusive measurement of ecosystem services ensuring comparability at different spatial and temporal scales at a country or international level
Several structures for classifying ecosystem services have been developed using different approaches and terminology, among them:
CICES: in support of environmental accounting, which has been applied, primarily in Europe, for assessments, mapping and accounting of ecosystem services;
FEGS-CS: developed by the US EPA to identify stocks of final ecosystem services, and is based on a strict definition of final ecosystem services;
NESCS: also developed by US EPA, to classify the flows of final ecosystem services from environmental types as defined by the FEGS-CS to economic uses and users.

8. (3) Classification of Ecosystem Services
Issues:
Definition of ecosystem services: based on characteristics or on function?
Scope: final ecosystem services or also intermediate?
Links with land cover/land use and ecosystem types classification?
A group under the auspices of the SEEA-EEA Technical Committee has been established
Revision of SEEA EEA by 2020 is a driver of the revision of the SEEA

9. (4) Classifications of land cover/land use and ecosystem types
Land cover and land use classification are in the research agenda of the SEEA Central Framework with UNSD and FAO as lead agencies
Land cover and land use were developed by FAO as provisional classifications in the SEEA CF
Classification of ecosystem types in the research agenda of the SEEA EEA
Issues:
High demand to elevate these classifications to the family of classifications to the family of classifications
Relationship of SEEA Classifications on land cover/land use with other classifications (e.g. IPCC, CBD, UNCCD, ESA, etc.)
Demand for additional details to link the classifications to ecosystem, types
Process not yet in place

10. Issues for discussion
At which stage to engage the Classification Expert Group in the on-going processes/discussions?
What mechanism of engagement?
What is the role of the Classification Expert Group in ensuring that the classifications that are part of the family are adopted for statistical purposes (e.g. IPCC classification vs. SEEA classification on land cover/use)?