Description: <p>The UN Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (UNCEEA) functions as an umbrella body to provide overall vision, coordination, prioritization and direction in the field of environmental-economic accounting. The UNCEEA meets once a year and is governed by the Bureau of the UNCEEA.The Nineteenth Meeting of the UNCEEA will take place virtually on 25-26 June 2024, from 7:30 to 11:00 EDT.</p><p>The agenda of this meeting is organized around the main areas of work of the Committee, namely, coordination and communication, methodological development for normative standards and other research, development of databases for the SEEA, and implementation and statistical capacity building. Background documents reviewing progress and outlining key questions for discussion will be circulated in advance of the meeting to facilitate the discussion and will be made available online on this webpage.</p><p>Members of the Committee are encouraged to send written feedback on the questions prior to the meeting, preferably by 24 May 2024, to seea@un.org.</p>
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 23 Apr 2024 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Icon-Institut
Description: The course will provide participants with information on theory (methodological framework) and practical challenges in the context of the compilation of Physical Environmental Accounts (Eurostat questionnaires).
Target Audience: * Statisticians involved in compiling data on economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA), air emission accounts (AEA) or physical energy flow accounts (PEFA) under Regulation (EU) 691/2011. * Specialists in one of the areas listed above who need to improve their knowledge of the other areas listed above. * Managers with responsibility on several or all the areas listed above.
Description: This webinar is part of the SEEA Webinar series “Uses of the SEEA for Policy, developed with the aim to highlight various priority and/or emerging policy areas that can be informed by the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). This webinar will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about recent country experiences in compiling the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting, the statistical framework underlying headline indicators A.2 Extent of natural ecosystems and B.1 Services provided by ecosystems. The webinar will look at these experiences from a technical and practical standpoint, with an eye towards how the accounts can feed into countries’ monitoring and reporting efforts for the Global Biodiversity Framework. The objectives of this webinar are: To share experiences in the compilation of the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting, with focus on data sources, institutional environment, resources and methods used. To gain an insight into the lessons learned and practical steps that countries have taken in the compilation of SEEA Ecosystem Accounting; and To understand how the ecosystem accounts can be used for national monitoring and reporting under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Description: This is the first webinar of the webinar series on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) organized by the United Nations Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (UNCEEA). This webinar aims at providing a foundational understanding of the SEEA and how the SEEA can support national implementation of the monitoring framework of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The SEEA provides the methodological basis for a number of indicators of the monitoring framework of the GBF. In particular, the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting will provide the methodological basis for three headline indicators adopted for high-level monitoring of the GBF, including in national reports under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) — i.e., indicators A.2 Extent of natural ecosystems, B.1 Services provided by ecosystems and 9.1 Benefits from the sustainable use of wild species. In addition, the SEEA Central Framework includes accounts which contain information on biodiversity expenditures and investments, which are relevant to the GBF’s financing indicators, such as D.3 on Private finance. The full list of indicators can be found in the CBD Decision 15/5. Objectives To understand the SEEA framework and its relevance to the headline indicators of the Kunming Montreal GBF monitoring framework, with a focus on indicators A2 and B1. To discuss the challenges and opportunities in applying the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting for national level monitoring of biodiversity.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 07 Mar 2024 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Icon-Institut
Description: The course will provide participants with training on the compilation of SEEA-CF monetary environmental accounts as requested by Regulation 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (amended by Regulation 538/2014). It’s an overall introduction to the different accounts, including relevant definitions, classifications, and approaches to compilation will be covered.
Target Audience: Junior statisticians of environmental statistics or environmental accounts departments involved in compiling data on Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) Accounts, Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA), environmental taxes or environmental subsidies and other transfers. Specialists in one of the areas listed above who need to improve their knowledge of the other areas listed above. Managers with responsibility on several or all the areas listed above.
Source: ESCAP SIAP (Data extracted on: 01 Apr 2024 )
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Organizer(s): ESCAP SIAP
Description: This course introduces the SEEA Central Frameworkthe international statistical standards for measuring the interactions between the environment and the economy. It is comprised of 5 modules. The first module introduces the SEEA. Modules 2 discusses accounting for physical flows while module 3 discusses accounting for environmental assets. The fourth module contains details on environmental activity accountscombined presentations and indicators. The last module contains an overview of subsystemsapplications and extensions.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 03 Feb 2023 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Icon-Institut
Description: Objectives of this course: * Provide an overview of the key concepts of SEEA ecosystem accounting; * Provide an overview of how national ecosystem accounts are constructed, and how they relate to ‘mainstream’ environmental and national accounting; * Provide understanding the data and tools used to construct the component parts of the accounts (e.g. spatial and environmental data in GIS for ecosystem extent; ecosystem services evidence; monetary valuation techniques).
Target Audience: NSIs and Other National Authorities (with lower priority), working in the field of ecosystem accounting.
Source: ESCAP SIAP (Data extracted on: 07 Dec 2023 )
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Organizer(s): ESCAP SIAP
Description: This e-Learning course introduces the System of Environmental Economic Accounting -Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA)the agreed statistical framework for collecting such information on ecosystems and their relationship to human activity. The SEEA EA provides an integrated statistical framework for organizing biophysical information about ecosystemsmeasuring ecosystem servicestracking changes in ecosystem extent and conditionand linking this information to measures of economic and human activities. It supports the compilation of indicators for several global policy frameworks including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the associated SDGs indicators as well as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The course is being organized by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and the UN Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (UNSIAP)under the overall guidance of the UN Committee of Experts on Environmental Economic Accounting (UNCEEA).
Description: This webinar will provide participants an overview of the purpose and importance of the Global Assessment of Environmental Economic Accounting and Supporting Statistics. This year the Statistics Division of the United Nations will administer a benchmark assessment, which will provide a detailed understanding of the national implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) in countries, including institutional and funding arrangements, countries’ priorities and future plans for implementing accounts, technical assistance received and provided, and the use of the accounts. This year the survey will be administered in 5 languages: Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The webinar will cover: * The importance of the 2023 Global Assessment and how the data provided by countries is used; * How to navigate and respond to the survey; * Q&A session.
Description: The UN Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (UNCEEA) functions as an umbrella body to provide overall vision, coordination, prioritization and direction in the field of environmental-economic accounting. The UNCEEA meets once a year and is governed by the Bureau of the UNCEEA. The eighteenth meeting of the UNCEEA will be held virtually, over two different days/sessions. A background note for each area of work will be made available in advance of the meeting, containing key questions for discussion during the meeting. All participants are asked to read the background notes in advance of the meeting and are encouraged to submit written responses in advance of the meeting. This will ensure that the sessions make use of the limited time through focused discussions.
Source: ESCAP SIAP (Data extracted on: 07 Dec 2023 )
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Organizer(s): ESCAP SIAP
Description: Water is essential to achieve sustainable development. At a fundamental levelthe availability of clean water in and of itself is necessary for our health and overall well-being. Water is also an important input to many economic activitiesfrom the production of food and energy to the manufacturing of computers and cars. High quality and timely statistics on water are need in order to manage our water assets and track water supply and use.This course will focus on water statistics and accountsas well as some important water aggregates and indicators (including SDGs). The water accounts are based on the System for Environmental-Economic Accounting-Water (SEEA-Water) and the International Recommendations for Water Statistics (IRWS). These two documents support analysis of the role of water within the economyunderstanding of the hydrological cycle and valuation of water assets. They are consistent with the SEEA Central Framework and follow a similar accounting structure to the System of National Accounts (SNA).
Organizer(s): UNSD Basque Centre for Climate Change South African National Biodiversity Institute European Space Agency GEO Secretariat
Description: “The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) Ecosystem Accounts as Enabler of Data and Model Integration to Improve Decision-Making” (TA1.39), a side event of the UN World Data Forum, took place virtually on Wednesday, 26 April 2023 at 14:45 – 15:45 (GMT+8). The event was organized by the United Nations Statistics Division in collaboration with the Basque Center for Climate Change (BC3), the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the GEO Secretariat. It examined how Natural Capital Accounting (NCA), underpinned by the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting adopted in March 2021, facilitates effective decisions by providing an integrated statistical framework to go beyond GDP. The event also featured the ARIES for SEEA, an open-source technology that integrates data and models developed by the global and national research community to produce ecosystem extent, condition and services accounts. Using the web-based repositories discovered/connected through artificial intelligence, as well as Earth Observation data and technologies, it supports the calculation of ecosystem accounts. The South Africa National Biodiversity Institute shared its experience in developing ecosystem accounts combining in situ data, with earth observation and modelling approaches. For more information see the UNWDF website here.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 29 Nov 2022 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Icon-Institut
Description: The course will provide participants with training on the compilation of SEEA-CF monetary environmental accounts as requested by Regulation 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (amended by Regulation 538/2014). It’s an overall introduction to the different accounts, including relevant definitions, classifications, and approaches to compilation will be covered.
Target Audience: * Junior statisticians of environmental statistics or environmental accounts departments involved in compiling data on Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) Accounts, Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA), environmental taxes or environmental subsidies and other transfers. * Specialists in one of the areas listed above who need to improve their knowledge of the other areas listed above. * Managers with responsibility on several or all the areas listed above.
Source: World Bank (Data extracted on: 02 Nov 2022 )
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Organizer(s): World Bank UNSD
Description: 6th Policy Forum on Natural Capital Data for Better Decision Making: Financing for Nature The Policy Forum on Natural Capital is the signature annual event of the Global Program on Sustainability. Co-organized with the United Nations Statistics Division, the Forum aims to connect users—primarily the investment community and policy makers—with both data and analytics, and data providers, to share knowledge and experiences on incorporating natural capital accounting and approaches in decision making.
Description: The sixth Policy Forum on Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) for Better Policy will take place on 2-3 November 2022. It will convene virtually for two half-days. The Policy Forum is co-organized by the World Bank,’s Global Program on Sustainability (GPS) and United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), The 2022 Forum will focus on financing for nature with discussion on the role natural capital and ecosystem services data and analytics plays in investment and policy decisions. Emphasis will be on connecting users—primarily the investment community and policy makers—with the data and analytics, and the data producers, to share knowledge and experiences on incorporating natural capital accounting and approaches in decision making. Day one of the Forum (November 2) will focus on integrating natural capital into investment decisions, and day two (November 3) will focus on natural capital data for informing policy frameworks for finance.
Description: For this Global Network Webinar we are pleased to have Marko Javorsek and Bram Edens from UNSD’s Environmental and Economic Accounts Section who will introduce the concepts and definitions of the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting framework and provide a practical demonstration of the ARIES for SEEA tool. The adoption of the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting, as an international statistical standard, by the United Nations Statistical Commission at its session in March 2021 generated a lot of interest beyond the statistical community. It has been identified as an important statistical framework to support the monitoring and reporting to several environmental convention including the monitoring framework in support of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, which will be adopted at the COP15 in December 2022, as well as other policy frameworks including climate change, land degradation and oceans. The United Nations Secretary-General called the adoption of the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting “a historic step towards transforming the way how we view and value nature. No longer will we allow mindless environmental destruction to be considered as economic progress” and in Our Common agenda, the agenda for action for the UN released in late 2021, he “urged countries to implement the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting.” Artificial Intelligence for Environment & Sustainability (ARIES), developed by researchers at the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), is an integrated, open-source modelling platform for environmental sustainability, where researchers from across the globe can add their own data and models to web-based repositories. Using ARIES technology, the ARIES for SEEA Explorer application allows users anywhere in the world to produce rapid, standardized, scalable and customizable ecosystem accounts for their area of interest (such as a country, administrative region, or watershed) that are consistent with the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting framework. ARIES for SEEA is available on the UN Global Platform, a cloud-service platform supporting international collaboration in the development of official statistics using new data sources and innovative methods.
Source: ESCAP SIAP (Data extracted on: 13 Feb 2023 )
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Organizer(s): ESCAP SIAP
Description: This course introduces the SEEA Central Frameworkthe international statistical standards for measuring the interactions between the environment and the economy. By providing an internationally agreed standard with agreed conceptsdefinitions and classificationsthe SEEA is an invaluable tool for compiling integrated information on the economy and the environment. The SEEA uses conceptsdefinitions and classifications consistent with the SNA in order to facilitate the integration of environmental and economic statistics. By doing sothe SEEA allows users to develop indicators (including SDG indicators) and conduct analysis on the economy-environment nexus.
Description: There is growing recognition that building back better must also mean building back greener. The twin crises of climate change and biodiversity degradation pose a dire threat to recovery efforts and economic progress. Effective and successful efforts to reduce global emissions and protect biodiversity require that public institutions work in partnership – across ministries as well as with civil society and the private sector – and design policies that protect the environment while enhancing livelihoods and wellbeing. This webinar will examine how natural capital accounting, in particular the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) can help to measure and track climate change and biodiversity, thus providing Governments with a “common denominator” in the effort to integrate environmental concerns into public policy and decision-making. The event will focus on both the institutional perspective (for example, how to adopt and integrate the framework in support of environmental goals) and the technical issues (including specific examples, such as how to assess the value of ecosystems vital to improving the quality of land and water resources).
Description: The UN Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (UNCEEA) functions as an umbrella body to provide overall vision, coordination, prioritization and direction in the field of environmental-economic accounting. The UNCEEA meets once a year and is governed by the Bureau of the UNCEEA. The seventeenth meeting of the UNCEEA will be held virtually, over two different days/sessions. A background note for each area of work will be made available in advance of the meeting, containing key questions for discussion during the meeting. All participants are asked to read the background notes in advance of the meeting and are encouraged to submit written responses in advance of the meeting. This will ensure that the sessions make use of the limited time through focused discussions.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 31 Jan 2022 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Icon-Institut
Description: The course will provide participants with training on the compilation of SEEA-CF monetary environmental accounts as requested by Regulation 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (amended by Regulation 538/2014). Both a brief, overall introduction to the different accounts, including relevant definitions, classifications, and approaches to compilation will be covered. Introductions to each of the 3 main accounts, Environmental Taxes, EGSS, EPEA, plus some relevant extensions such as environmental subsidies and related transfers and ReMEA (resource management expenditure accounts) will be in focus. The course will make emphasis in putting together the practical difficulties that participants have in their offices to produce the monetary environmental accounts and discussing solutions and best practices.
Target Audience: Junior statisticians of environmental statistics or environmental accounts departments involved in compiling data on Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) Accounts, Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA), environmental taxes or environmental subsidies and other transfers. Specialists in one of the areas listed above who need to improve their knowledge of the other areas listed above Managers with responsibility on several or all the areas listed above.
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: Presented by: the ARIES team (Artificial Intelligence for Environment and Sustainability) of BC3 (Basque Center for Climate Change) The Artificial Intelligence for Environment & Sustainability (ARIES) team, in collaboration with the United Nations, has developed a web-based application in support of the implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting--Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) that was adopted in 2021 as a statistical standard. The ARIES for SEEA Explorer is a computational platform that lowers the barriers to compiling ecosystem accounts. The application can generate a basic set of ecosystem accounts for any user-specified terrestrial area in the world (such as a country, administrative region, watershed, etc.), through its access to hundreds of data sets (from global to local). The Explorer’s technology is based on machine reasoning and chooses the best-available combination of web-hosted data and models for the analysis context. For example, the use of national data is prioritized over global data. In case no national data are accessible to the system for the chosen area of interest, the accounts are generated from global data sets. The current ARIES for SEEA functionalities include land accounts; ecosystem extent accounts (based on the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology), condition accounts (for forest ecosystem types), and selected ecosystem services in physical and monetary units, using basic models as a starting point. The outcomes can be analyzed and downloaded to further explore and improve the results (either through a spreadsheet or GIS software). The philosophy behind ARIES is based on the principle of interoperability: it enables users to share their own data and models, thereby growing the accuracy of the accounts and the functionalities of the platform. Objective: The objective of this webinar is to present to the Africa NCA community of practice the ARIES for SEEA web-based application and to demonstrate the potential of this technology.
Description: The e-Learning course System of Environmental Economic Accounting: Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) will be conducted from 11 April to 10 June 2022. This course has been jointly developed by the UN Statistics Division (UNSD) and UN Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (UNSIAP). The course introduces the SEEA EA, the international statistical standard for organizing data about ecosystems, measuring ecosystem services, tracking changes in ecosystem assets, and linking this information to economic and other human activity. The SEEA EA framework takes a spatial approach to organizing information on ecosystems. It supports the compilation of indicators for several global policy frameworks including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and related SDG indicators and the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Agenda. The SEEA EA complements the accounts compiled in the SEEA Central Framework (SEEA CF) and together, SEEA EA and SEEA CF, provide a comprehensive framework for organizing data on the relationship between the environment and economy. The course is expected to take a maximum of 20 hours over the course of two months from 11 April to 10 June 2022. The course comprises 8 modules covering different topics on ecosystem accounts. Participants are expected to complete the e-learning modules online and also attend weekly scheduled webinars. The weekly webinars will be facilitated by experts and practitioners in ecosystem accounting to provide an overview of the course topics and allow for participants to ask questions.
Source: ESCAP SIAP (Data extracted on: 13 Feb 2023 )
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Organizer(s): ESCAP SIAP UNSD UNCEEA
Description: The course introduces the SEEA EAthe international statistical standard for organizing data about ecosystemsmeasuring ecosystem servicestracking changes in ecosystem assetsand linking this information to economic and other human activity. The SEEA EA framework takes a spatial approach to organizing information on ecosystems. It supports the compilation of indicators for several global policy frameworks including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and related SDG indicators and the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Agenda. The SEEA EA complements the accounts compiled in the SEEA Central Framework (SEEA CF) and togetherSEEA EA and SEEA CFprovide a comprehensive framework for organizing data on the relationship between the environment and economy.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 30 Jan 2022 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Icon-Institut
Description: The course will provide participants with training on the compilation of SEEA-CF monetary environmental accounts as requested by Regulation 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (amended by Regulation 538/2014). It’s an overall introduction to the different accounts, including relevant definitions, classifications, and approaches to compilation will be covered.
Target Audience: Junior statisticians of environmental statistics or environmental accounts departments involved in compiling data on Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) Accounts, Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA), environmental taxes or environmental subsidies and other transfers. Specialists in one of the areas listed above who need to improve their knowledge of the other areas listed above. Managers with responsibility on several or all the areas listed above.
Title in Spanish: Foro Nacional: Proyecto NCAVES en México
Organizer(s): INEGI Mexico
Description: En el marco del proyecto de Contabilidad de Capital Natural y Valoración de Servicios de los Ecosistemas (NCAVES, por sus siglas en ingles) , el Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI), organiza el Foro Nacional de Cuentas de Ecosistemas el día 9 de diciembre de 2021, entre las 9 y 11:30 a.m. hora de México El proyecto NCAVES, patrocinado por la Unión Europea y con los auspicios técnicos de la División de Estadística de Naciones Unidas (UNSD) y ONU-Medio Ambiente, se implementa en Mexico desde 2017 bajo el liderazgo del INEGI y en estrecha colaboración con la Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT). En México, el proyecto NCAVES ha impulsado el desarrollo de estudios piloto del marco del Sistema de Contabilidad Ambiental y Económica. Contabilidad de los Ecosistemas (SEEA EA, por sus siglas en inglés) de la ONU; así como, apoyar la medición de los ecosistemas y sus servicios; contribuir a la construcción de una metodología internacionalmente aceptada e impulsar el conocimiento y uso de la contabilidad económico-ambiental, en particular la contabilidad de ecosistemas, con vistas a incorporar el enfoque de biodiversidad y de los ecosistemas dentro de los procesos de toma de decisiones, diseño y evaluación de instrumentos de política pública a nivel nacional y subnacional.
Description: The main objectives of the sixth Forum are to: Share experiences and best practices in applying and compiling ecosystem accounts, in particular in the countries that have participated in the Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services project; Discuss how to operationalize the SEEA EA implementation strategy and the interoperability of data for compilation of accounts; and Discuss opportunities and ways to mainstream the SEEA EA into national and global initiatives.
Description: The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), in close collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Union Delegation to Brazil, are jointly organizing the National Forum on Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (NCAVES) project. The forum will be held virtually on 16-18 November 2021 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Rio de Janeiro time) Brazil has participated as one of the 5 pilot countries (Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa) in the NCAVES project jointly launched by UNSD, UNEP and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) and funded by the European Union. The NCAVES project in Brazil was implemented by the IBGE, in collaboration with various partner institutions. Under the NCAVES project, significant progress has been made to advance environmental economic accounting in Brazil. To date IBGE has released ecosystem extent accounts and endangered species accounts, as well as a range of publications with experimental statistics on the condition of water bodies, on the valuation of water resources, and on non-timber forest products. In parallel a pilot study for the Matopiba region was undertaken by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro using the SWAT model to assess a number of regulating ecosystem services and how they are impacted by the shifting agricultural frontier. In addition, IBGE has made important contributions through the testing of indicators and classifications to the finalization of SEEA EA which was recently adopted by the UN Statistical Commission. IBGE also hosted a regional training workshop on ecosystem accounting for ECLAC countries in November 2019. The objectives of the National Forum are: Present the achievements of Brazil in the implementation of Natural Capital Accounting to a wide audience. Discuss next steps for the future development of the BRASEEA (Brazilian System of Environmental-Economic Accounts) with stakeholders. The first two days of the Forum will be oriented to a more technical audience as they will dedicated focus on to presenting and discussing the results obtained in compiling the various types of ecosystem accounts and water accounts that have been developed under the NCAVES project. The third day is oriented to senior level representatives and will focus on a strategic discussion on NCA, including policy needs for the accounts and a roadmap for further development and mainstreaming.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 03 May 2021 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Icon-Institut
Description: Objectives: * Provide an overview of the key concepts of SEEA ecosystem accounting; * Provide an overview of how national ecosystem accounts are constructed, and how they relate to ‘mainstream’ environmental and national accounting; * Provide understanding the data and tools used to construct the component parts of the accounts (e.g. spatial and environmental data in GIS for ecosystem extent; ecosystem services evidence; monetary valuation techniques).
Target Audience: NSIs and Other National Authorities (with lower priority), working in the field of ecosystem accounting. ESTP Trainings are open to non-ESS members if capacity allows after ESS needs are fulfilled.
Description: This e-Learning programme is organized by UNSD, in collaboration with the UN ESCAP. It provides an overview of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) Central Framework (CF) and how it can be used for sustainable policy decisions. The e-Learning programme is directed towards select countries in Asia which have active SEEA programmes. In particular, the programme is aimed towards users and producers of SEEA accounts, with a focus on users of the accounts. By involving policy makers and data users from line ministries, as well as producers from national statistical offices, the programme seeks to develop shared understanding and appreciation of the value of the SEEA accounts among key stakeholders. The programme is designed to enable participants to take the following actions in their respective national context: a) Convene multi-agency stakeholders to develop a plan for the production and use of SEEA accounts. b) Better communicate results of existing SEEA accounts, highlighting policy applications of the SEEA for biodiversity, climate change and macroeconomic policies; and c) Improve the use of the accounts in development and monitoring of national environmental policies and reporting for international frameworks.
Description: Report of the Webinars (PDF) Concept note (PDF) Background The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) is a statistical framework that brings together environmental and economic information in a coherent and consistent manner. It is an international standard containing agreed concepts, definitions and classifications. The SEEA is comprised of two foundational and complementary statistical standards, the SEEA Central Framework and the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting. The SEEA Central Framework (SEEA CF) is a multipurpose conceptual framework that describes the flows and stocks and changes in stocks of environmental assets. It brings together, in a single measurement system, information on water, minerals, energy, timber, fish, soil and land, pollution and waste, production, consumption and accumulation. The SEEA Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) is a spatially-based, integrated statistical framework for organizing biophysical information about ecosystems, measuring ecosystem services, tracking changes in ecosystem extent and condition, valuing ecosystem services and assets and linking this information to measures of economic and human activity. In this series of webinars, we will focus on 2 SEEA topics that are of importance to the countries of Central Asia: water accounts and ecosystem accounts. Доклад по серии вебинаров (PDF) Концептуальная записка (PDF) Справочная информация Система эколого-экономического учета (СЭЭУ) - это статистическая основа, объединяющая воедино экологическую и экономическую информацию согласованным и последовательным образом. Это международный стандарт, содержащий согласованные концепции, определения и классификации. СЭЭУ состоит из двух основополагающих и дополнительных статистических стандартов: СЭЭУ — центральной рамочной программы и СЭЭУ — экосистемного учета. СЭЭУ — центральная рамочная программа представляет собой многоцелевую концептуальную основу, описывающую потоки и запасы, а также изменения в запасах экологических активов. Она объединяет информацию о воде, минералах, энергии, древесине, рыбе, почве и земле, загрязнениях и отходах, производстве, потреблении и накоплении в единую систему измерения. СЭЭУ — экосистемный учет - это пространственно-ориентированная комплексная статистическая основа для организации биофизической информации об экосистемах, для измерения экосистемных услуг, отслеживания изменений, касающихся масштаба и состояния экосистем, оценки экосистемных услуг и активов и привязки этой информации к экономическим показателям и показателям жизнедеятельности человека. В этой серии вебинаров мы сосредоточимся на двух темах СЭЭУ, которые важны для стран Центральной Азии: счета водных ресурсов и счета экосистем.
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: A new report — Protecting Natural Capital in East Africa: The Cost of Inaction — presents one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of the economic value of East Africa’s natural resources. This includes its soils, water, forests, savannas, plains, wetlands, and wildlife — all of which are fundamental to the region’s economic and human well-being. The report demonstrates how failing to protect this natural capital in four key landscapes will cost the region more than $10.9 billion per year over the next few decades. It outlines how the region’s most important natural assets cross national boundaries and makes an urgent plea to Partner States to increase collaboration on conservation and sustainable development. The study was prepared with support from the USAID Kenya and East Africa Mission (USAID/KEA) by Environmental Incentives, LLC and Anchor Environmental Consultants (Pty) Ltd. in partnership with the East African Community (EAC) as a part of the Natural Capital in East Africa Program. Together, they solicited input from national policymakers in all six countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, as well as other public and private sector leaders at the local, national, and regional levels.
Description: The London Group on Environmental Accounting is a city group created in 1993 to allow practitioners to share their experience of developing and implementing environmental accounts. Members of this informal group of experts come primarily from national statistical agencies but also international organizations. The London Group generally meets annually, and the meetings provide a forum for review, comparison and discussion of work underway by participants towards development of environmental accounts. In light of the global pandemic, the Twenty-seventh Meeting of the London Group will be held virtually on 27-30 September 2021 and 4 October 2021.
Description: Fifth Policy Forum on Natural Capital Accounting for Better Decision Making – Greening the Recovery will take place virtually on 15 and 16 September 2021. The Forum is co-organized by the World Bank’s Global Program on Sustainability (GPS), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and the Government of the Netherlands. For more than a year, the world has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which greatly disrupte economies, societies, and livelihood. In response, stimulus packages are being announced to mitigate these impacts and to strengthen national economies. This year’s Policy Forum aims to encourage practical ways that NCA can assist these recovery initiatives to deliver immediate needs as well as aiding green, resilient, and inclusive growth. The Forum will enable the NCA community and those working on recovery efforts to learn from each other and identify opportunities for working together. The Forum will consist of two parts: the first part (Session 1) will comprise high-level presentations and discussions, and the second part (Sessions 2-4) will be for in-depth technical discussions. More details and registration links will be provided soon.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 03 May 2021 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Icon-Institut
Description: The course will provide participants with training on the compilation of SEEA-CF monetary environmental accounts as requested by Regulation 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (amended by Regulation 538/2014). Both a brief, overall introduction to the different accounts, including relevant definitions, classifications, and approaches to compilation will be covered. Introductions to each of the 3 main accounts, Environmental Taxes, EGSS, EPEA, plus some relevant extensions such as environmental subsidies and related transfers and ReMEA (resource management expenditure accounts) will be in focus. The course will make emphasis in putting together the practical difficulties that participants have in their offices to produce the monetary environmental accounts and discussing solutions and best practices.
Target Audience: * Junior statisticians of environmental statistics or environmental accounts departments involved in compiling data on Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) Accounts, Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA), environmental taxes or environmental subsidies and other transfers. * Specialists in one of the areas listed above who need to improve their knowledge of the other areas listed above * Managers with responsibility on several or all the areas listed above. ESTP Trainings are open to non-ESS members if capacity allows after ESS needs are fulfilled.
Description: As part of the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the event Combing public and private forces to apply natural capital accounting will be held on-site in Marseille, France, to discuss opportunities for aligning public and private applications of natural capital accounting and assessments. It will focus on how businesses can use data derived from the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting for natural capital accounting and how it can be used to further standardize business applications.
Organizer(s): UNSD IUCN Conservation International
Description: As part of the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, IUCN and Conservation International are organizing a side event, Incorporating nature in development planning through natural capital accounting. This session discusses Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) and the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting, Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA), including their role in helping incorporate nature and sustainability into economic planning, as well as meeting Sustainable Development Goals and other global environmental commitments. Speakers include representatives from the United Nations, South Africa National Biodiversity Institute, Convention on Biological Diversity, Global Environment Facility, European Commission, Conservation International and IUCN. More information can be found on the event flyer and here. Participation in the event is limited to those registered for the IUCN WCC.
Organizer(s): UNSD ESCAP DOSM Malaysia PSA Philippines
Description: This webinar is part of the UN Development Account Project, Environmental-Economic Accounting for Evidence-Based Policy in Africa and Asia. This webinar introduces the SEEA and land accounting to stakeholders in the project's Asia Pacific partner countries, Malaysia and the Philippines. The webinar will introduce the conceptual framework of the SEEA, how land accounts are compiled and the policy applications of land accounts. The webinar will also include country experiences in compiling land accounts and how land accounts can be used for monitoring the SDGs, post-2020 global biodiversity framework and more. UNSD is collaborating with the Statistics Division of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) and the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) in implementing the project in Asia. This webinar is geared towards national stakeholders in Malaysia and the Philippines, including line ministries, mapping agencies, NGOs and academia. The implementation of the SEEA is truly a multi-stakeholder approach and requires cooperation of many national partners and agencies.
Organizer(s): UNSD Environment Forest and Climate Change Commission Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute
Description: Ethiopia aims to build a green economy and to follow a climate resilience and green growth path that fosters sustainable development. Through the development of its Climate-Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy that is based on carbon-neutral growth, it envisions attaining middle-income status by 2025 (FDRE 2012). Natural capital accounts for about 40 percent of Ethiopia’s total wealth, with cropland and pastureland comprising over two-thirds of this wealth, thus a better understanding of the state of natural capital and of the flows of benefits it provides is vital to ensure sustainable development and equitable growth. The globe aspires to ensure the vision of “Living in harmony with nature” by 2050. However, we have seen in most cases that Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs 2011-2020) were not fully achieved as they were hoped. Similarly, the current progress towards realizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2030 indicates the need for a determined effort. Climate change adjoined by severe environmental degradation has been affecting Ethiopia’s large agrarian population. Lessons show that, unless appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures are in place to maintain the forest resources, climate change may reverse the hard-won economic growth of the country. Unfortunately, half (54 million ha) of the country’s landmass show a varied level of degradation, calling for urgent interventions. Ethiopia started restoring its lost forests and degraded landscapes a long time ago, but the recent introduction of the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) is to plant billions of tree seedlings. The GLI aims to mobilize millions of volunteer citizens to engage in reversing decades of deforestation and forest/land degradation. This webinar will provide an overview of living in harmony with nature by taking Ethiopia’s experience, discussing socio-economic and ecological benefits, challenges and opportunities associated with the planning, implementing, and reporting of the GLI.
Description: The UN Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (UNCEEA) functions as an umbrella body to provide overall vision, coordination, prioritization and direction in the field of environmental-economic accounting. The UNCEEA meets once a year and is governed by the Bureau of the UNCEEA. The Sixteenth Meeting of the UNCEEA will be held virtually, over three different days. The meeting agenda will be structured according to the work programme of the Committee, which has five different areas of work: 1) coordination and communication; 2) methodological development for normative standards and other research; 3) development of global databases for SEEA; 4) implementation and statistical capacity building; and 5) the SEEA and business accounting.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 21 Dec 2020 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Icon-Institut
Description: The course will provide participants with training on the compilation of SEEA-CF monetary environmental accounts as requested by Regulation 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (amended by Regulation 538/2014). It’s an overall introduction to the different accounts, including relevant definitions, classifications, and approaches to compilation will be covered.
Target Audience: * Junior statisticians of environmental statistics or environmental accounts departments involved in compiling data on Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) Accounts, Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA), environmental taxes or environmental subsidies and other transfers. * Specialists in one of the areas listed above who need to improve their knowledge of the other areas listed above. * Managers with responsibility on several or all the areas listed above. ESTP Trainings are open to non-ESS members if capacity allows after ESS needs are fulfilled.
Source: ESCAP SIAP (Data extracted on: 28 Oct 2021 )
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Organizer(s): ESCAP SIAP
Description: This course introduces concepts relevant to compiling water statistics and accountsand the compilation of relevant SDG indicators. The topics covered include physical supply and use tablesasset accountsvaluation and data sources. Three webinars will also be held as part of the course to provide an overview of the topics and allow participants to ask questions.
Organizer(s): UNSD UNEP Basque Centre for Climate Change
Description: The Statistics Division and the UN Environment Program (UNEP), in collaboration with the international research and innovation platform Artificial Intelligence for Environment & Sustainability (ARIES) at the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), are launching a pioneering Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered application for rapid natural capital accounting: the ARIES for SEEA Explorer. The new open-source and user-friendly digital technology enables, for the first time, rapid, standardized and customizable ecosystem accounting anywhere on Earth. ARIES for SEEA will be available on the UN Global Platform: a cloud-service environment supporting international collaboration among all countries in the world by sharing scientific knowledge, data, methods and technology. The launch event will explain how the ARIES for SEEA Explorer takes a new, ground-breaking, interoperable approach that uses artificial intelligence for ecosystem accounts compilation and provides a basis for the eventual customization of models. Registration url: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Un4PyurgSJCJsE2MmmhYYQ
Description: The "Second Global Dialogue on Ocean Accounting" will be hosted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the University of Ottawa and the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership on 20 April 2021 (7-10AM New York Time on Zoom). For registration visit this page Event website: https://www.oceanaccounts.org/second-global-dialogue-on-ocean-accounting/ Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/92974942295 There is much agreement that the ocean is important and threatened. Unless we have coherent measures, we will never know how important and how threatened. From fisheries to marine-based tourism, our ocean is a vital source of livelihood, employment, nutrition and economic growth and it is essential in balancing our climate. The Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) brings together governments, international institutions, research organisations and other stakeholders, who have committed to support the sustainable development of the ocean through better organisation, inter-connection and standardisation of ocean-related data and statistics. Ocean accounting applies a statistical framework (https://www.oceanaccounts.org/) to harmonize the crucial data these stakeholders need. On April 20, 2021, GOAP is holding the Second Global Dialogue on Ocean Accounting, hosted by the Government of Canada. The event is planned to update the community on recent progress and forge new partnerships among data providers and users. You are encouraged to participate if you are developing ocean accounts, if you conduct research or collect data that can contribute to ocean accounts, or if you are a potential user of harmonized ocean data. The First Global Dialogue, held in Sydney, Australia in November 2019 led to new partnerships, additional collaborations on pilots and an improved Technical Guidance document. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Statistics Canada and the University of Ottawa offered to host the Second Global Dialogue. Given travel restrictions, the Second Global Dialogue will be a 3-hour teleconference focusing on: recent events and progress on ocean accounting methodology; progress on pilot studies; needs for pilot studies; progress on related research and data; and partner activities. For enquiries please contact the GOAP Secretariat (info@oceanaccounts.org) cc Michael Bordt (mbordt@gmail.com) and Teerapong Praphotjanaporn (teerapongp@outlook.com).
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: The System of Environmental-Economic Accounts (SEEA) represents a global effort towards the goal of mainstreaming nature into decision-making. The recently adopted SEEA Ecosystem Accounting (EA) is the international statistical standard to measure ecosystems, their status and contribution to the economy. These accounts begin with an “Ecosystem Extent Account”, which maps ecosystems distribution and tracks changes over time. This webinar will demonstrate a low-cost, replicable approach for the identification and mapping of ecosystem extent developed through a partnership between US space agency NASA, Conservation International (CI) and the government of Liberia. The webinar will share results from Liberia, and how these results are supporting planning and decision-making in the country. Last, the webinar will encourage a discussion on how the piloted approach in Liberia can support other countries efforts to develop SEEA-compliant ecosystem extent accounts at the national scale.
Organizer(s): UNSD ESCAP World Bank Global Ocean Accounts Partnership Canada
Description: Rampant marine pollution from land-based sources, depletion of fish stocks, biodiversity loss, increasing ocean temperatures, and inadequate marine governance threaten the health of oceans and coastal ecosystems, which are vital sources of livelihood, employment, nutrition, and economic growth. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights the significance of the oceans to global prosperity, peace, peoples, partnerships, and the planet with an exclusive goal (SDG 14 “Life under water”) among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG14 is monitored using ten SDG14 indicators (e.g. quality of marine waters, nutrient levels, sustainable fisheries, and marine protected areas). The indicators are measured independently of each other which often leads to a lack of coherence across policy issues such as the economics, use and health of the ocean. Integrated ocean statistics will enable well-informed policy responses to ocean-related threats. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) has been successfully applied in sectors such as water and energy. SEEA-Water and SEEA-Energy have been developed and adopted by the UN Statistical Commission as globally agreed statistical frameworks which all countries can apply. For oceans, however, there is currently no globally agreed standard for integrating diverse ocean data into ocean accounts. We need SEEA-Ocean.
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: Botswana has embraced NCA following the outcome of the Gaborone Declaration of Sustainability in Africa (GDSA) in 2012. Since then, a decision was made at highest policy level to prioritize NCA for water, mineral and energy resources, including compilation of macroeconomic indicators of sustainable development. A scoping exercise to develop ecosystem accounts was carried out in 2014 which prioritized the initial development of SEEA-compliant Tourism Satellite Account. Capacity building and a process to institutionalize the accounts was led by Government, with support from the World Bank through the WAVES Global Partnership programme. Botswana, like many other African countries, is endowed with a variety of natural resources, especially minerals, and a rich biodiversity which had significantly contributed to the country’s sustained economic growth and socio-economic development. As one of the five piloted WAVES countries to implement NCA in 2012, Botswana has made remarkable progress in terms of natural capital accounts compilation and annual report updates and the dissemination of key policy massages to different stakeholders. Although at different stages of maturity, the NCA data from water and energy accounts have shown great potential to impact significantly in monitoring the implementation of one or two natural capital related SDGs. This webinar will showcase the country’s experience of using NCA data to inform key sectoral policies and strategies that have economic bearing on sustainable management of the key natural resources responsible for economic prosperity.
Description: The objectives of this high-level webinar are (i) to inform the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean about the review process; (ii) to show the progress in the application of ecosystem accounting in some countries of the region; and (iii) encourage active participation of the institutions in charge of ecosystem accounting in the region in this process (National Institutes of Statistics, Central Banks and / or Ministries of Environment).
Title in Spanish: Seminario web de alto nivel sobre el Sistema de Contabilidad Ambiental-Económica - Contabilidad de Ecosistemas (SEEA-EA) para los países de América Latina
Organizer(s): ECLAC UNSD
Description: El objetivo de este evento es informar a los países de la región sobre el proceso de revisión de la metodología de contabilidad de ecosistemas del SCAE y mostrar los avances y desafíos de las cuentas económicos ambientales en América Latina y el Caribe. Organizado conjuntamente entre la CEPAL y la División de Estadísticas de las Naciones Unidas (DESA).
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: The preparation of a national plan for advancing environmental-economic accounting is initiated through a scoping exercise, implemented as a preliminary assessment of readiness and capacity of countries that are seeking to embark on natural capital accounting approaches that are consistent with the System of Environmental Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA). Among other things, it assesses policy relevance and priorities, data availability, institutional framework and financial as well as technical resources required to implement NCA at an appropriate scale. The assessment of readiness will, in turn, support the development of a national plan, or roadmap helping governments to determine initial priorities for implementing various types of accounts, raise/allocate funds as well as work on the institutional arrangements necessary for their sustainable implementation. This webinar will aim to introduce the process of scoping for natural capital accounting, introduce the tools available for countries, and outline the idea behind the national plans/roadmaps. The webinar will aim to bring together thoughts and experiences on scoping and national plan development in several African countries that are in various stages of NCA development.
Description: The National Statistical Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) of the Government of India, in collaboration with United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), UN Environment with the support of the European Union, is organizing the first Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (NCAVES) National Forum in India. The Forum would lay emphasis on Policy Demand for Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) in India and emerging opportunities for NCA to support national priorities in India. It would also highlight the achievement of the country in natural capital accounting and valuation of ecosystem services. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) of the Government of India, has taken up several initiatives under the project “Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (NCAVES)” which aims to advance the theory and practice of ecosystem accounting in India. The project can help integrate the concerns of sustainability and conserving the environment for future use while charting the course for economic development. Since the work related to environment accounting in India is still in its early stages, primarily because of the large number of subjects to be covered under this domain, it is necessary to engage in a collaborative effort various stakeholders, including Line Ministries, state governments, multilateral organizations and research institutions for compiling a complete suite of accounts.
Organizer(s): UNSD Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development Germany University of Cambridge United Kingdom
Description: Top global experts discuss why it’s time to move beyond GDP and value nature for its worth. Around the world, economic statistics tell a story of 100 years of progress. But they conceal a parallel story of mounting environmental pressures – climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss – that undermine it. By omitting one of humanity’s greatest assets – nature – these statistics ultimately slow progress towards a sustainable, resilient future. As economies begin their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to build back better by moving beyond GDP towards a system that recognizes all of society’s assets – natural, human, social, and institutional, harnesses their interdependencies, and delivers the 2030 Agenda. This webinar, co-hosted by the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, brings together world-leading experts to discuss how natural capital accounting can help in the fight against climate change, biodiversity loss, and air pollution (responsible for over five million deaths a year). Panelists will discuss the economic rationale for placing nature at the heart of the recovery from COVID-19, highlighting a global UN-led effort to develop new statistics that reveal, rather than conceal, the impacts and dependencies of economies on nature. The resulting System of Environmental Economic Accounts - Ecosystem Accounting is expected to be adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission in 2021, providing high-quality, rigorous data on biodiversity, ecosystems and the environment-economy nexus.
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: On 2 December 2020, Statistics South Africa releases the Land and Terrestrial Ecosystem Accounts, 1990 to 2014, the first publication in its new Natural Capital series. These accounts are a first of their kind for South Africa and have been produced as part of the Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (NCAVES) project, which was launched in 2017 by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) with funding from the European Union (EU). South Africa is one of five countries (along with Brazil, China, India and Mexico) participating in this international project, which aims to advance the global knowledge agenda and initiate testing of SEEA Experimental Ecosystem Accounting. In South Africa, the NCAVES project has been led jointly by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI),in collaboration with the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) and a range of national and sub-national stakeholders. This webinar will provide an overview of the approach, methods and results from the Land and Terrestrial Ecosystem Accounts.
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: The Africa NCA Community of Practice (CoP) is starting a new series of webinars to showcase experiences of different countries in their NCA journeys. These webinars will allow member countries to speak about their work on developing natural capital accounts and how the results of this work are informing policy and development planning, decisions, and strategies. Uganda will open this series. Uganda, one of the countries supported by the World Bank WAVES partnership, has developed accounts for land, forests, and ecosystems. Uganda has also worked on just-in-time issue papers on relevant issues. As a result of the WAVES support, Uganda’s Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development developed a set of adjusted macroeconomic indicators showing the adjusted net national income and adjusted net savings; the first iteration was produced in 2019, and second iteration was produced in 2020. Remarkable progress has been made by Uganda in NCA over the last two years; this is also demonstrated by the choice to include NCA in its new five-year National Development Plan as well as a growing community of practice on NCA nationally.
Organizer(s): UNSD UNEP Statistics South Africa National Biodiversity Institute South Africa
Description: Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) are convening national stakeholders to get input on the draft National NCA Strategy: A ten-year strategy for advancing Natural Capital Accounting in South Africa. A draft of the Strategy will be circulated in early November in preparation for this meeting. The meeting will be held virtually over the course of two days on 18-19 November 2020. The purpose of the strategy is to respond to the need to focus the efforts of Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) and other institutions engaged in NCA on developing priority natural capital accounts and effective statistical systems and institutional mechanisms to inform South Africa’s sustainable development policy objectives.
Description: The UN Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (UNCEEA) functions as an umbrella body to provide overall vision, coordination, prioritization and direction in the field of environmental-economic accounting. The UNCEEA will conduct the extraordinary meeting during the year to address urgent outstanding issues when needed. The UN Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting is governed by the Bureau of the UNCEEA. The Extraordinary Meeting of the UNCEEA will be held virtually, over two different days. The objective of this meeting is to discuss the progress made on the revised SEEA Experimental Ecosystem Accounting that will be presented to the UN Statistical Commission. The discussion will focus on the revision process, status and outstanding issues of the complete document that is currently undergoing global consultation. and progress made in the drafting. The Committee will also discuss on initiatives such as the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and progress made on areas including ocean accounting, SEEA implementation, and coordination and communication. Background notes with questions to the Committee will be prepared ahead of the meeting. All participants are asked to read the background notes in advance of the meeting and are encouraged to submit written responses in advance of the meeting. This will ensure that the sessions make use of the limited time through focused discussions. Only select topics will be discussed; additional materials for information will be provided on the website.
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: As part of the Africa NCA Community of Practice (CoP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) offers to host a webinar on the subject of “The Use of Natural Capital Accounts in Policy Scenario Analysis”. This webinar is inspired by ongoing work, jointly with United Nations Statistics Division, to develop “Guidelines on the use of ecosystem accounts in policy scenario analysis in the context of SEEA EEA” as part of the EU-funded Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (NCAVES) project. We are delighted that Andrea Bassi, Founder and CEO, KnowlEdge Srl and extraordinary associate professor of System Dynamics Modelling at Stellenbosch University will present his work on development of the guidelines and experience in application of the modelling techniques in examples from Africa. We are honoured that Josephine Musango, Professor with the School of Public Leadership, Stellenbosch University will share her experiences of systems dynamics modelling using natural capital accounts.
Description: The London Group on Environmental Accounting is a city group created in 1993 to allow practitioners to share their experience of developing and implementing environmental accounts. Members of this informal group of experts come primarily from national statistical agencies but also international organizations. The London Group generally meets annually, and the meetings provide a forum for review, comparison and discussion of work underway by participants towards development of environmental accounts. In light of the global pandemic, the Twenty-sixth Meeting of the London Group will be held virtually on 5-8 and 12 October 2020 from 14:00 - 17:00 CEST (8:00 - 11:00 EST) every day.
Introduction to experimental Ecosystem extent and Services Accounting based on SEEA-EEA
28 Sep 2020 – 08 Oct 2020
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 06 Aug 2020 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Sogeti
Description: The objectives of this course are: * Provide an overview of how national ecosystem accounts are constructed, and how they relate to ‘mainstream’ national accounting (e.g. Gross Domestic Product). * Provide understanding the data and tools used to construct the component parts of the accounts (e.g. spatial and environmental data in GIS for ecosystem extent; ecosystem services evidence; monetary valuation techniques).
Target Audience: National statistical bodies, environment departments and other national public environment bodies involved in constructing national ecosystem accounts. ESTP Trainings are open to non-ESS members if capacity allows after ESS needs are fulfilled.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 06 Aug 2020 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Sogeti
Description: The course will provide participants with training on the compilation of SEEA-CF monetary environmental accounts as requested by Regulation 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (amended by Regulation 538/2014). Both a brief, overall introduction to the different accounts, including relevant definitions, classifications, and approaches to compilation will be covered. Introductions to each of the 3 main accounts, Environmental Taxes, EGSS, EPEA, plus some relevant extensions such as environmental subsidies will be in focus. The course will make emphasis in putting together the practical difficulties that participants have in their offices to produce the monetary environmental accounts and discussing solutions and best practices.
Target Audience: * Junior statisticians of environmental statistics or environmental accounts departments involved in compiling data on Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) Accounts, Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA), environmental taxes or environmental subsidies and other transfers. * Specialists in one of the areas listed above who need to improve their knowledge of the other areas listed above * Managers with responsibility on several or all the areas listed above. ESTP Trainings are open to non-ESS members if capacity allows after ESS needs are fulfilled.
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: As part of the Africa NCA Community of Practice, the Capitals Coalition offers to host an introductory webinar on the subject of “Combining Forces on Natural Capital: Working with the Private Sector”. This webinar is inspired by feedback from the community in July 2020, where approximately 40% of the membership expressed an interest in “engaging with the private sector” in relation to natural capital accounting.
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: Oceans cover 70% of the Earth's surface, are the planet's largest biosphere, and are home to 50–80% of all life on Earth. Oceans make major contributions, many irreplaceable, to human well-being and development. For example, more than 90% of global trade in goods and 95% of internet traffic travel by sea. In Africa, 38 countries have a coastline and many economies depend heavily on marine resources. The true value of ocean ecosystems, however, are often not adequately measured. To address this issue, oceans accounts – a structured compilation of maps, statistics, and indicators, aligned with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounts – are being developed by a growing number of countries. Ocean accounts provide a framework for ocean data integration by organising relevant data (from the environmental, social and economic domains) into structures that are similar to national accounts maintained by National Statistical Offices or Finance Ministries. They provide the means to account for growth, sustainability and inclusivity of ocean economies in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. At the global level, momentum on developing a shared technical framework for ocean accounting is supported by the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership. The webinar will provide an introduction to oceans accounts and the potential opportunities in the increasing advancement of African ocean economies. It will also serve to introduce the Oceans Accounting Working Group, which will run under the Africa Natural Capital Accounting Community of Practice from August to December 2020. This webinar is part of a series under the Africa Natural Capital Accounting Community of Practice.
Description: The UN Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (UNCEEA) functions as an umbrella body to provide overall vision, coordination, prioritization and direction in the field of environmental-economic accounting. The UNCEEA meets once a year and is governed by the Bureau of the UNCEEA. The Fifteenth Meeting of the UNCEEA will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Description: This Technical Expert Forum builds on earlier Forums of Experts organized in 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2019 by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and partners to advance the theory, practice and application of ecosystem accounting, considering the fast-evolving nature of the topic and ever-increasing policy interest. The previous Forums brought together a broad range of expertise and experiences, and have thus contributed to the development of materials to support the advancement of ecosystem accounting and have continued to build the community of experts, policy analysts and decision makers who recognize the potential of ecosystem accounting to support the achievement of positive environmental, economic and social outcomes. As we are approaching the finalization of the SEEA EEA revision, few outstanding technical issues need to be discussed in a set of focused technical discussions. For that reason, in 2020 a Technical Expert Forum is organized, aiming to attract experts in environmental and ecosystem accounting, biodiversity, ecology and environmental economics. The main objectives of the Technical Expert Forum are to: <ul>1. Review progress across the range of research issues that are the focus of the SEEA EEA revision process and provide technical guidance on outstanding issues, accounting treatments and testing of approaches developed; 2. Discuss remaining issues on the research agenda and identify the way forward; and 3. Provide advice on the last research issues where needed.</ul>
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: The webinar is part of a series under the Africa Natural Capital Accounting Community of Practice organized in cooperation between UNSD and the World Bank Global Program on Sustainability, the Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Green Growth Knowledge Platform, the Conservation International and the Capitals Coalition.
Description: The objective of this webinar is to bring together stakeholders in 5 NCAVES project countries and other interested countries to introduce the testing process and to raise awareness of using SEEA for indicators initiatives at the global and national level. The webinar will also bring together stakeholders from the NCAVES project countries to foster technical exchange. There are two primary audiences for this webinar. The first are National Statistics offices and other agencies involved in the production and compilation of SEEA EEA accounts and calculating SDG indicators. The second are the line ministries and other organizations who have responsibilities for delivering on a countries goals for sustainable development. These stakeholders are key to the development of SEEA EEA accounts and have an essential role in their institutionalization, resourcing and articulating the needs and priorities for specific accounts and related indicators.
Organizer(s): UNSD ECA UNEP World Bank Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Green Growth Knowledge Platform Conservation International Capitals Coalition
Description: The webinar is part of a series under the Africa Natural Capital Accounting Community of Practice organized in cooperation between UNSD and the World Bank Global Program on Sustainability, the Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Green Growth Knowledge Platform, the Conservation International and the Capitals Coalition.
Description: The discussions will bring together the SEEA and GEP experts to foster technical exchange, with an objective to resolve technical difference, to develop a strategy to bring alignment, integrtion and common approach of the two frameworks to advance natural capital accounting at the global level and in China.
Description: This technical meeting on valuation will provide the opportunity for invited experts to discuss further the key issues in this research area and clarify preferred treatments. Ahead of the meeting the feedback on the five discussion papers and subsequent discussion will be used to draft relevant chapters of the revised SEEA EEA and these chapters will form the key supporting documents for the meeting. In addition, smaller background notes will be prepared on key topics to isolate the key outstanding issues and questions. By the time of the meeting it is expected that all key issues will have been raised and discussed but in some instances a general agreement on the appropriate resolution and direction may not be present. The focus of the technical meeting will be on discussing and advancing conceptual issues but it is expected that the invited experts will be able to inject relevant practical experience in valuation such that the proposed approaches are both conceptually appropriate and feasible in practice. After the technical meeting, the next phase in the SEEA EEA revision process is for the draft chapters to be reviewed by the Editorial Board and then circulated for global consultation. The discussion at the meeting will be central to finalizing those chapters for that process.
Source: Eurostat (Data extracted on: 25 Nov 2019 )
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Organizer(s): Eurostat Sogeti
Description: The course will provide participants with training on the compilation of SEEA-CF monetary environmental accounts as requested by Regulation 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (amended by Regulation 538/2014). It’s an overall introduction to the different accounts, including relevant definitions, classifications, and approaches to compilation will be covered.
Target Audience: * Junior statisticians of environmental statistics or environmental accounts departments involved in compiling data on Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) Accounts, Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA), environmental taxes or environmental subsidies and other transfers. * Specialists in one of the areas listed above who need to improve their knowledge of the other areas listed above. * Managers with responsibility on several or all the areas listed above. ESTP Trainings are open to non-ESS members if capacity allows after ESS needs are fulfilled.
