European Environment Agencyec.europa.eu/environment/archives/greenweek2014/docs/...The logic of...
Transcript of European Environment Agencyec.europa.eu/environment/archives/greenweek2014/docs/...The logic of...
Accounting for natural capital
Jan-Erik Petersen
European Environment Agency
Policy references on natural capital accounting
At global level:
• Rio +20 communiqué on natural capital accounting
• World Bank WAVES initiative
• 2012 Aichi targets under Convention on Biological Diversity
At EU level:
• 7EAP – Objective 1 focuses on natural capital
• EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020
• EU Resource efficiency strategy
The logic of environmental accounting:
linking economic, environment & social dimensions
Natural inputs (e.g. timber, mineral, water, aquatic resources, etc.)
Residuals (air and water emissions, waste)
Environment
Economy
Production and consumption
Well-being
Natural capital accounting: UN work and guidelines
SEEA Part 1 -
Central Framework
SEEA Part 2 -
Experimental
Ecosystem
Accounting
Support
measurement of
biodiversity
Inform post 2015
development
agenda and SDGs
SNA
Integrate natural
capital into
national accounts
Components of Natural Capital
Sub-soil assets:
(geological
resources)
Minerals, earth
elements,
fossil fuels,
gravel , salts etc.
Ecosystem capital:
(linked to ecological systems
and processes)
Natural capital
Abiotic flows:
(linked to geo-
physical cycles)
Solar, wind,
hydro, geo-
thermal etc.
Ecosystems
as asset:
Structure and
condition
Ecosystem
service flows:
• Provisioning
• Regulation &
maintenance
• Cultural
services
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Sectoral Data Integrated information
Integrated information provides a structured picture to support policy making.
Convert anecdotal evidence to structured information
But consider:
•… but ecosystems
are more than the
sum of their parts.
Natural and social sciences decompose objects …
Managing our natural capital better – key steps
1) Understand the components of natural capital
2) Track their status – in quantity and quality
3) Identify key impacts from human activity and/or use
4) Analyse the main drivers behind these impacts
5) Review which policy or societal levers exist to manage
impacts or change the drivers
6) Develop adequate policy instruments and analytical tools
to effect and monitor change
Matrix used in UK national ecosystem assessment
on ecosystem service trends by habitat
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What remains to be done?
• Further develop natural capital accounting methodology
• Organise existing data in an accounting framework, i.e.
structured and spatially referenced
• Fill existing (ecosystem) data gaps with existing and new
environmental monitoring instruments
• Better understand the link between public and private-
sector natural capital accounting approaches
• Review options for the valuation of natural capital and what
this allows us to say
What can natural capital accounts provide ?
Identifying and tracking our natural capital assets
Creating awareness and understanding
A framework for considering trade-offs and impacts of
policy and other drivers on ecosystems & their services
An alternative or complementary measure of welfare
Support for monetary valuation and integration of the
value of natural capital into national accounts
Thank you for your attention.
6) Knowledge needs & analytical tools
Analytical
issues :
Accounting
approaches
Monitoring
& indicators
Bio-phys.
research
Modelling &
policy analysis
Participant
research
Capital &
flows XXX X XX X XX
Resilience /
ecol.
boundaries
? X XXX XX X
Main uses /
impacts XX XX XX XX XX
Key drivers of
change X XX X XXX XX
Policy options
& levers X X ? XXX XX
Policy
outcomes XX XX XX XX XX