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The establishment of ecosystem accounts helps to promote and practice sustainable development. In China, the establishment of ecosystem accounts based on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting–Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) facilitates government decision-making regarding the ecological transformation of economic and social development. There have been attempts to develop ecosystem accounts in some southern Chinese provinces and cities, but little has been done to develop an ecosystem account for northern China. This study examined the potential and challenges of constructing ecosystem accounts in methods and policies in northern China and promoted the practice of EA accounts by constructing ecosystem extent, condition, ecosystem services supply and use accounts, and biodiversity accounts in Liaoning Province. The testing accounts cover provisioning, water supply, air filtration, water purification, global climate regulation (carbon storage), soil erosion management, and recreation services in 2019. The results show that due to the difference in climate between northern and southern China, there is no accounting for temperature regulation and flood regulation services, but water supply services are considered; Policy, demographic, and socioeconomic factors affect the extent and condition of ecosystems. This study illustrates how ecosystem accounts can contribute to policy and decision-making, foster sustainable development, and inform the application of ecosystem accounts in northern China and other countries and regions. In this paper, we identify difficulties, including data availability and quality, that limit the integration of ecosystem accounting into policy. Future research is suggested to address these gaps and facilitate the implementation of ecosystem accounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze how historical maps could be used in the context of SEEA EA and what information could be derived from historical maps to facilitate mapping and assessment of ecosystem extent and condition in according to the SEEA EA guidelines. The source materials were maps documenting the landscape in 1883, 1936, 1977 and 2011 of the case study area of Ślęża Landscape Park in Poland, Central Europe. The landscape level characteristics of naturalness and diversity were used to understand the condition. The Ślęża Landscape Park’s ecosystem extent results show trends of increase in forest cover of about 700 ha driven by afforestation and decrease in the agricultural share of land. In 1883, the biggest forested areas were not connected to each other, but on the other hand, forest areas were more compact, as diversity of boundaries was lowered inside forests. The least natural areas were scarce and so human pressure and impacts were lower. Humans have significantly influenced this landscape by expanding mineral extraction activities and built-up areas. We discuss the challenges of local scale SEEA EA applications and present lessons learned from this process.

In this paper, we demonstrate value generalisation from a sample of ecosystem assets – municipally managed trees - to all tree assets within an urban ecosystem accounting area. A Bayesian network model is used to machine-learn non-parametric correlation patterns between biophysical site condition variables and output variables of an ecosystem service model – here iTree Eco for modelling the regulating services of urban forests. The paper also demonstrates the use of spatial Bayesian network modelling to quantify the reliability of value generalisation for accounting purposes. Value generalisation entails inferring ecosystem service values for all locations in an ecosystem accounting area, where the accounting practitioner has less information about the asset and its context, than in an available sample of managed sites within the accounting area. The modelling is carried out as a “proof-of-principle” of potential value generalisation and uncertainty analysis methods for ecosystem accounting. It does not cover all regulating ecosystem services of urban forests, nor cultural services. While noting that wide confidence intervals for generalised values pose challenges for using monetary accounts for the accounting purpose of change detection, we find that tree-specific asset valuation is possible in an urban accounting setting. Our findings serve the purpose of raising awareness about asset values of urban green infrastructure, to bring them more on a par with grey infrastructure in urban planning. We also argue that the reliability of the asset value of individual trees is also good enough to be used for non-accounting purposes, such as municipal tree damage assessments.

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The European Commission developed an amendment to Regulation 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts to include reporting on ecosystem accounts compliant to the United Nations Statistical Commission System of Environmental-Economic Accounts – Ecosystem Accounts (SEEA-EA) standard. To support Member States implementing this regulation, an open source tool, known as INCA-tool, to generate ecosystem service accounts has been developed, based on the Knowledge Innovation Project on Integrated Systems of Naural Capital and Ecosystem Services Accounting (KIP-INCA) methodologies. The INCA-tool was developed by taking into account the FAIR principle for software and data, as well as existing interoperability standards by the SEEA community. Three types of users were identified with their specific needs, interactions and skills. To meet their needs, the INCA-tool was split into two parts, a python package to perform the calculations and an acessible and easy-to-use user interface in QGIS to integrate national information. With a first version of the toolkit in place, improvements to the existing calculation methods and alignment with the upcoming EU regulation can be achieved. Further, feedback from Member States beta-tests and their experiences is currently collected and implemented and the full public roll-out is planned for the end of 2022. The software packages in the toolkit were already used to extend the existing nine INCA European wall-to-wall account series with the year 2018.

Efforts to improve the Genuine Savings, a widely accepted index to assess the weak sustainability of an economy's development, have led to the creation of a broad body of literature that aims to produce more robust macroeconomic indicators for policy decision making. However, the various approaches to natural capital welfare accounting results in conflicting indicators of change. It is also the case that the inclusion of natural and social capital components is still scant. This paper addresses this gap by extending the traditional Genuine Savings methodology by including some natural capital components (e.g. flood protection, water purification) and the poverty dimension through a deontological approach. Although not offering a silver bullet solution, our approach proposes a pluralist and pragmatic improvement from 'weak' towards 'stronger' sustainability indicators. Results highlight the availability of data and information produced by different initiatives including the United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting guidelines. The empirical application provides Genuine Savings estimates for Italy from 2006 to 2012 and from 2012 to 2015, shedding the light on the importance of natural capital and social considerations at national and regional level. [Display omitted] • Regional and national Genuine Savings are estimated in Italy for 2012 and 2015. • Within GS framework we suggest the use of ecosystem accounting for computing the natural capital and its changes. • Both dashboard and deontological GS are proposed to link poverty and the Genuine Savings. • The effect of poverty adjustment is crucial for measuring the regional trends and national result. • Ignoring natural and poverty components might mislead the measurement for sustainability at national and regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Earth Observation (EO) provides accurate and timely spatial data to compile ecosystem accounts. • Spatial data is required to connect ecosystem extent, condition, and services • Harmonise input data with nomenclature is needed to facilitate better use of EO for accounting. • Open-access processing pipelines with EO data are missing. • Both technical and conceptual issues need to be resolved to operationalise EO in accounting. The European Space Agency (ESA) project "Pioneering Earth Observation Applications for the Environment – Ecosystem Accounting" (PEOPLE-EA) aimed to study and demonstrate the relevance of Earth Observation (EO) for ecosystem accounting in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Ecosystem accounts are inherently spatial accounts, with the implication that they strongly depend on the availability of spatially explicit datasets. In the project's framework, an in-depth literature review of 113 scientific papers has shown EO data streams can be integrated to accelerate ecosystem account reporting. However, these workflows need to be further extended to support extent accounting that involves a more disaggregated ecosystem classification compared to land cover types. EO provides wall-to-wall monitoring and hence can contribute to provide reliable and consistent metrics on ecosystem condition, next to ecosystem extent. EO contribution is mainly to delineate and characterize ecosystem extent, structure, function and composition indices, and probably their distance from a reference condition, if not set too far back in time. The use of EO data for ecosystem services is more challenging, despite the well-established conceptual framework. EO data can support and accelerate ecosystem accounting under the standardised SEEA EA framework providing the most cost-effective way to collect large amounts of data in a standardised form with consistency in space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we demonstrate value generalisation from a sample of ecosystem assets – municipally managed trees - to all tree assets within an urban ecosystem accounting area. A Bayesian network model is used to machine-learn non-parametric correlation patterns between biophysical site condition variables and output variables of an ecosystem service model – here iTree Eco for modelling the regulating services of urban forests. The paper also demonstrates the use of spatial Bayesian network modelling to quantify the reliability of value generalisation for accounting purposes. Value generalisation entails inferring ecosystem service values for all locations in an ecosystem accounting area, where the accounting practitioner has less information about the asset and its context, than in an available sample of managed sites within the accounting area. The modelling is carried out as a "proof-of-principle" of potential value generalisation and uncertainty analysis methods for ecosystem accounting. It does not cover all regulating ecosystem services of urban forests, nor cultural services. While noting that wide confidence intervals for generalised values pose challenges for using monetary accounts for the accounting purpose of change detection, we find that tree-specific asset valuation is possible in an urban accounting setting. Our findings serve the purpose of raising awareness about asset values of urban green infrastructure, to bring them more on a par with grey infrastructure in urban planning. We also argue that the reliability of the asset value of individual trees is also good enough to be used for non-accounting purposes, such as municipal tree damage assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfing is a cultural ecosystem service, providing recreational benefits to over 50 million people worldwide and fostering economic activity through retail and tourism industries. Despite its growing popularity and threats to natural environments, surfing's economic and social impacts remain sparsely documented. This study provides a nationwide assessment of surfing's impact on Australia's economy and participants' wellbeing, using an online survey of Australian surfers (n=569). Domestic surf-related expenditure was estimated at A$3719 per surfer per year, including retail (A$1858) and travel (A$1861). Heterogeneity analyses reveal differences in expenditure patterns across regions, age groups and modalities of engagement in the sport. Aggregating across a population of 727,328 Australian adult surfers, the direct input into the market economy is estimated at A$2.71 billion per year. Standardized wellbeing measures indicate that over 80 % of participants experience positive effects from surfing, particularly in community connectedness, physical, and mental health. However, major concerns exist regarding the sustainability of surfing environments due to erosion and overcrowding pressures. Following the SEEA EA's 'logic chain' framework, this study provides a set of baseline results that may be inputted into accounting processes considering recreational ecosystems services. Further, the systematic approach used in this study could be replicated by comparative analyses across time and other prominent surf regions. As coastal areas worldwide urgently respond to climate threats and the need to support the 'blue economy', a better understanding the socio-economic values derived from ocean-based recreation can help inform coastal polices aimed at fostering more resilient environments. [Display omitted] • Surfing ecosystems provide recreation services with wellbeing benefits to participants and monetary flows into the economy. • The average Australian surfer spends A$3719 per year on retail (A$1858) and domestic travel (A$1861). • Direct input into the Australian economy is A$2.71 billion per year; A$4.88 billion/yr including indirect effects. • Surveyed surfers perceive benefits for their physical health (95 %), mental health (99 %) and community connectedness (80 %). • Overcrowding, climate impacts and poor water quality are surfers' top concerns, while fewer worry about shark risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) aims at regular and standardised stocktaking of the extent of ecosystems, their condition, and the services they provide to society. Recording the condition of ecosystems is one of the most complex pieces in this exercise and needs to be supported by consistent guidelines. SEEA EA defines the condition of an ecosystem as its overall quality, measured in terms of quantitative metrics describing its abiotic and biotic characteristics. One of the key challenges lies in identifying the most appropriate metrics for each ecosystem type that capture these essential characteristics.The objective of this paper is to create a well-defined framework for transparent and operative development of ecosystem condition indicators, which can be used in ecosystem accounting and ecosystem assessment studies. Starting from the SEEA EA documentation and a small targeted systematic review, we identified 12 key criteria, which we grouped according to their roles during the indicator development process. Five conceptual criteria (intrinsic relevance, instrumental relevance, sensitivity, directional meaning, and framework conformity) outline the priorities for identifying relevant characteristics of the ecosystems. Five practical criteria (validity, reliability, availability, simplicity, and compatibility) provide guidance on identifying concrete quantitative metrics for the selected characteristics. Finally, two ensemble criteria (comprehensiveness, and parsimony) ensure the completeness and complementarity of the final set of metrics.To tackle the climate and biodiversity crises, the condition of ecosystems needs to be better recognized in national economic planning. The proposed framework supports the selection of a concise set of salient and credible ecosystem condition indicators through a transparent, repeatable and scientific process. This can make the compilation of ecosystem condition accounts more accessible and more standardised on a global level, which is a key prerequisite for the success of SEEA EA. Additionally, the framework presented in this paper may be useful in other contexts where ecological, environmental, or sustainability indicators need to be identified.

The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting - Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) provides an integrated statistical framework which organizes spatially explicit data on environmental quality, natural capital and ecosystem services and links this information to economic activities such as agriculture. In this paper we assess how the SEEA EA can support the monitoring and evaluation of environmental objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). We focus on the Netherlands, for which an elaborate set of SEEA EA accounts has been published, and the themes of nitrogen pollution and farmland biodiversity. We studied the completeness of indicators included in the accounts, their quality and analysed how the accounts could support agri-environmental reporting, agri-environmental measures effectiveness assessments, and results-based payments to farmers. As a reference we used the Driving forces – Pressures – State – Impacts - Responses (DPSIR) framework. The Dutch SEEA EA accounts only include half of the indicators which we considered essential to assess the effects of farming on natural capital and ecosystem services for the two studied environmental themes. However, most gaps in the accounts could be filled with other publicly available environmental monitoring data. Regarding N pollution, the availability and reliability of indicators at landscape and farm scales are not sufficient to support the assessment of agri-environmental measures effectiveness and results-based payments to decrease N pollution. The accounts have a higher potential to support the assessment of measures to conserve farmland biodiversity, in particular due to high resolution maps of ecosystem extent and ecosystem services flows. The potential of the SEEA EA accounts may be more limited in other countries where ecosystem accounting has only recently started. However, the SEEA EA is also implemented at the European Union scale, so that SEEA EA indicators will gradually become available for all European countries. To enhance the relevance of the SEEA EA in the agri-environmental policy area, we recommend to integrate information on farming emissions (externalities) recorded in the SEEA Central Framework with SEEA EA accounts and evaluate the applicability of SEEA EA accounts for case studies at landscape and farm scales. Our research shows that the Dutch SEEA EA accounts, complemented with other data sources, have potential to strongly enhance the CAP monitoring and evaluation framework but further steps need to be taken to fill data gaps.

The United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) framework is the international standard for ecosystem accounting. To date, application of SEEA EA has been predominantly at large scales, usually at landscape and national levels. However, many environmental management decisions are taken locally, in site-specific contexts. While the use of SEEA EA continues to develop at all scales, there is currently no widely endorsed methodology for employing SEEA EA at local scales, such as the site level. We present a methodology for developing site-level ecosystem accounts, describing the important decisions at each step of the process. We also provide two case studies that demonstrate the context-dependent nature of the decision-making process of ecosystem accounting at small scales. The two major challenges for site-level accounting are stakeholder engagement and data availability. As the use of SEEA EA continues to increase in policy and decision-making processes worldwide, there is a need for local-scale case studies that adapt this methodology across a broad range of contexts. Our case studies provide some of the first published examples of the application of SEEA EA at the site level and are intended to promote consistent implementation of ecosystem accounting across scales. • The SEEA EA framework is useful for making, and monitoring the impacts of, management decisions on small sites. • We provide a methodology for site-level ecosystem accounting. • Site-level ecosystem accounting is context-dependent with each site requiring a tailored approach. • Stakeholder engagement is critical for developing site-level accounts that accurately describe ecosystem assets. • Data availability can be an obstacle for developing site-level ecosystem accounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This work presents an example of ecosystem accounting application at the local level and within a protected landscape. • ES, assessed in both biophysical and monetary terms, are crop provision, pollination, and nature-based tourism. • Stakeholders ranked ES and attributed them to the wide range of beneficiaries, including animals and the environment. • The values of all three ES have already been accounted for in the local economy. • The contribution of these three ES to the local economy is discussed. This paper presents the application of the ecosystem service assessment and valuation of three ecosystem services to the local municipalities, which host the protected area. The protected area in this study is a peri -urban Sleza mountain providing perfect opportunities for one-day hiking for families. The case study area represents five municipalities that are part of the Sleza Landscape Park in Poland. Three ecosystem services (crop provision, pollination, and nature-based tourism) were mapped and attributed to the benefiting sectors. The assessment follows the guidelines of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting—Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) for recognising the contribution of ecosystem services (ES) to the economy and human well-being. The analysis relates to the years 2014 and 2021 and includes ecosystem extent and flow accounts. Thanks to the local character of our case study, ecosystems and beneficiaries could be precisely located, and the contribution of selected ES to the local economy could be presented in a spatially explicit way. The applicability of ecosystem accounting to spatial planning and local governance is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem accounting is a systematic approach that combines environmental and economic data to track the full physical and monetary value of natural capital and can be applied at various spatial scales and for a range of purposes. Our main objective is to identify where and how ecosystem accounting has been applied in the specific context of forest resource management. We selected the System of Economic Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA) Ecosystem Accounting (EA) which is aligned with national accounting for our analysis. Our systematic literature review was conducted on publications between 2012 and 2023 that apply SEEA EA consistent methodology for forest ecosystems globally. We find the use of SEEA EA consistent ecosystem accounts in forestry have been limited and tends to occur where governmental and institutional support is available. Detailed analysis of forestry case studies identified gaps and challenges including the variation in which SEEA EA had been applied, limited number of ecosystem services reported, issues related to valuation, and a lack of industry adoption. The results of this review highlight the urgent need to make ecosystem accounting more achievable and accessible in the forest sector to ensure that quantifying forest natural capital is mainstreamed for decision and policy processes. • Forest management can benefit from ecosystem accounting. • A limited number of SEEA EA consistent applications exist in forestry management. • Variation in SEEA EA compatible ecosystem accounts in forestry is observed. • Limited number and type of forest ecosystem services reported across case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Illustrates the possibilities and advantages of using accounting frameworks to organise information on protected areas. • Offers case studies of accounting for protected areas in three countries. • Discusses the role of accounts in achieving Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (30% of land and sea protected by 2030). • Highlights how information on protected areas and the economy can be aligned using national accounting mechanisms. • Explores how accounts can foster integrated development that recognises protected areas as socio-economic and conservation assets. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounts Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) provides a statistical framework for measuring ecosystems and the services they supply, complementing the System of National Accounts (SNA). Although accounting for protected areas (PAs) is proposed in the SEEA EA and would provide consistent and useful information on PAs, it has not yet been widely implemented. This article examines different possibilities of applying the SEEA EA to PAs by reviewing existing work in that field, including case studies for South Africa, Uganda and Andalusia. We show that accounting for PAs using the SEEA EA would benefit PA planning, management and investment decisions, by i) bringing statistical rigour and consistent data over time and space, ii) compiling disparate data together and making them coherent, and iii) revealing the relationships between PAs, the economy and social well-being, enabling their integration into development planning and decision making. This information can help inform better decision making by allowing synergies and trade-offs between environmental, economic and social outcomes linked to PAs and their management to be explored, fostering a more integrated development approach. This will be essential if the flagship target of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to conserve 30% of the world's surface by 2030 is to be achieved in an ecologically meaningful, economically sustainable and socially inclusive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem accounting is a statistical framework that aims to track the state of ecosystems and ecosystem services, with periodic updates. This framework follows the statistical standard of the System of Environmental Economic Accounting Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA). SEEA EA is composed of physical ecosystem extent, condition and ecosystem service supply-use accounts and monetary ecosystem service and asset accounts. This paper focuses on the potential use of the "Value Transfer" (VT) valuation method to produce the monetary ecosystem service accounts, taking advantage of experience with rigorous benefit transfer methods that have been developed and tested over many years in environmental economics. Although benefit transfer methods have been developed primarily for welfare analysis, the underlying techniques and advantages are directly applicable to monetary exchange values required for ecosystem accounting. The compilation of regular accounts is about to become a key area of work for the National Statistical Offices worldwide as well as for the EU Member States in particular, due to the anticipated amendment to regulation on European environmental economic accounts introducing ecosystem accounts. On this basis, accounting practitioners have voiced their concerns in a global consultation during SEEA EA revision, about three issues in particular: the lack of resources, the need for guidelines and the challenge of periodically updating the accounts. We argue that VT can facilitate empirical applications that assess ecosystem services in monetary terms, especially at national scales and in situations with limited expertise and resources available. VT is a low-cost valuation approach in line with SEEA EA requirements able to provide periodic, rigorous and consistent estimates for use in accounts. While some methodological challenges remain, it is likely that VT can help to implement SEEA EA at scale and in time to respond to the pressing need to incorporate nature into mainstream decision-making processes. • The compilation of regular ecosystem accounts will become a key area of work for the National Statistical Offices worldwide. • Practitioners will require guidelines on methods so to provide periodic accounts, given resource constraints. • Value Transfer method can facilitate the compilation of ecosystem service monetary accounts especially at national scale. • We call for future empirical applications of Value Transfer for ecosystem accounting purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]