1. United Nations Statistics Division
Environmental accounting A system approach to environmental information
United Nations Statistics Division

2. Outline SEEA and supporting suite of publications
SEEA and the system approach
SEEA and the ecosystem approach
SEEA and the DPSIR framework
SEEA and the FDES

3. The SEEA and supporting suite of publications
Energy balances
e.g. IRES
Compilation Material
SEEA-E
e.g. IRWS
Other water statistics
Compilation Material
SEEA-W
Output frameworks
Systems frameworks
Intermediate frameworks
SEEA
Input frameworks
Data
Data Quality Assessment Frameworks
Metadata and documentation (e.g. SDMX)
ISIC, CPC, Asset Classification, Class. of Environmental Activities, Class. of Physical Flows etc
Cross functional frameworks

4. The SEEA and the system approach
Systems can be represented as a series of stocks and flows
The system approach is used by
the System of National Accounts
the System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA)
The SEEA is a multipurpose system for measuring:
The interactions between the economy and the ecosystems
e.g the flow accounts
The interactions within the environment/ecosystems (natural processes)
e.g. asset accounts - changes in stocks (due to human activities and natural causes)
The state of the environment, including quality
e.g. asset accounts – land use/land cover accounts, water asset accounts, forest accounts
The SEEA organises information in terms of stocks and flows

5. SEEA and the system approach
Data Producers
NSOs, Environment agencies and others
Economy
Environment/ Ecosystems
SNA
Satellite vs System approach
SEEA
Greater spatial & temporal disaggregation
S t o c k s & F l o w s
e.g. Finance Ministry
Environment agencies and others
Data users

6. SEEA and the system approach
Data Producers
NSOs, Environment agencies and others
Economy
Environment/ Ecosystems
SNA
Satellite vs System approach
SEEA
Greater spatial & temporal disaggregation
S t o c k s & F l o w s
A majority of measurement and methodological issues have been resolved
There is a significant body of accounting practice
Significant measurement and methodological issues remain
There is much less accounting practice
e.g. classification of ecosystems services, quality accounts

7. SEEA and the system approach
Data Producers
NSOs, Environment agencies and others
Economy
Environment/ Ecosystems
SNA
Satellite vs System approach
SEEA
Greater spatial & temporal disaggregation
S t o c k s & F l o w s
Classifications
SNA2008/SEEA-2003
Produced assets
Cultivated biological resources
e.g. Timber
Non-produced assets
Non-cultivated
Ecosystems approach
Terrestrial
Forest
Forestland
Timber (from cultivated and non-cultivated)
Other services
While the classifications differ, they cover the same information in some cases e.g. timber

8. SEEA and the system approach
Data Producers
NSOs, Environment agencies and others
Economy
Environment/ Ecosystems
SNA
Satellite vs System approach
SEEA
Greater spatial & temporal disaggregation
S t o c k s & F l o w s
Human capital
Social capital
Human capital and social capital are not addressed by either the SNA or the SEEA

9. Is it necessary to have both “E”s in the SEEA acronym?
System of
Environmental
Environmental-
Economic
Accounting

10. SEEA and the DPSIR framework – climate change
Use as sink, extraction, harvest, or catch of natural resources,
e.g. Air emission accounts, flows of carbon
The physical quantity of resources, the quality of the environment and the size and extent of ecosystems and areas
e.g. Asset acc’s including land use and land cover acc’s
Economic activity and population growth
e.g. National accounts,
energy flow accounts,
agricultural accounts,
land use / cover acc’s
Pressure
Driving force
State
Response
Impact
Money spent to protect the environment
e.g. Env. protection expenditure accounts (incl. mitigation/adaptation exp), env. goods and services sector, env. taxes, env. subsidies, emission permits
Depletion and degradation of the environment
e.g. Water acc’s, forest acc’s, fisheries acc’s, land and ecosystem acc’s

11. Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES)
The FDES is intended to be a conceptual framework to define the scope of environment statistics
It has been suggested that the SEEA can not handle:
Social links (these are not covered by either the SNA or SEEA)
Natural processes (methods and practice lacking)
Issues of environmental quality (methods and practice lacking)
As consensus emerges, natural processes and environmental quality can be covered by the system approach and SEEA standard accounts

12. Conclusions
SEEA is the conceptual framework for environmental information – system approach
SEEA and FDES are complementary and not competing frameworks
FDES to communicate/disseminate the information to fit the needs of different audience/uses
Ecosystem approach is consistent with the SEEA
SEEA multi-purpose statistical framework for organizing environmental information
Categories and variables should be seen in the context of the entire system – i.e. system approach
The development of environment statistics and accounts should be a staged approach

13. For more information Contact us: seea@un.org See the UNSD website:
Environmental Accounting Archive (Includes national and international examples)
Towards the revision of the SEEA
The London Group
The United Nations Committee on Environmental and Economic Accounts (UNCEEA)