Implementation of the System of Environmental Economic Accounting in Australia

Transcription

1 Implementation of the System of Environmental Economic Accounting in Australia Where we are now, how we got here, and next steps Bill Allen Branch Head Environment and Integration Branch Australian Bureau of Statistics Valuing and Accounting for the Environment in the Asia Pacific Region Bangkok, Thailand 8 10 October, 2013 Timeline of environmental accounting milestones for Australia (Brief and only showing first time of account production) 1991 Greenhouse Gas emissions (Department of Environment) 1993 SNA revision and 1 st edition of SEEA (EC, IMF, OECD, UN, WB) 1995 Natural resources on balance sheet 1996 Energy account 1998 Mineral account 1999 Environmental expenditure, local government 2000 Water account PSUT Greenhouse gas emission accounts 2003 SEEA revision (UN) 2008 SNA revision (EC, IMF, OECD, UN, WB) 2011 Land account Water account Asset(BOM) 2012 SEEA Central Framework (EC, FAO, IMF, OECD, UN, WB) Completing the Picture Environmental Taxes 2013 SEEA Experimental Ecosystem Accounting and Application and Extensions (UN, et al) Waste accounts Ecosystem accounts (DSE) Environmental Accounting Landscape (BOM) 1

2 Environmental accounting in Australia Water Account, Australia Physical and monetary SUT National Water Account Physical asset account (Bureau of Meteorology) Victoria Water Account (Victorian government) ABS Energy Account Physical and monetary SUT Experimental Waste Account Physical and monetary SUT Experimental Land Research for expanding the accounts produced and methodology Environmental Taxes and subsidies, environmental protection expenditure, as well as valuation methods Australian Environmental Economic (Annual) Researching ecosystem accounts Biodiversity, Carbon, Ecosystem condition ABS, SEWPAC, BOM, DAFF Murray Darling Basin Authority, Victorian government South East Queensland CMA Wentworth group universities National Data Natural resources on National Balance Sheet (Annual) Experimental Ecosystem (Victorian government) Input output analysis of energy and greenhouse gas emissions National Carbon Account (Dept. of Environment) Recent support by government: 2008 Australia 2020 Summit Environmental considerations will be fully integrated into economic decision making in Australia Support for the development of environmental accounts / Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act Recommends the development of a system of environmental accounts Australia in the Asian Century Support for the ongoing development and use of environmental accounting in Australia and internationally (p. 20 and 30) 2

3 How we got here Active research program Active internationally in development & implementation of SEEA Experimental estimates Building strong relationships nationally Cooperation between geographic information professionals, accountants, economists, scientists and statisticians Support of key stakeholders Bringing together the biophysical with the economy and society Finding allies in State government (use cases) Key data providers (energy, water, land, waste) Building a program of accounts Sustained high level institutional support National Natural capital (minerals, land, plantation timber) Environmental Energy, water, land A team effort Contributors Federal government Australian Bureau of Statistics Environment, National, Geography, MAP, survey areas, Environment Bureau of Meteorology Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries State government Victoria Queensland Other Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists Catchment Management Authorities Universities ANU, universities of Sydney, Queensland, Melbourne and Canberra International colleagues in countries and international organisations 3

4 Getting Here key lessons Sustained high level institutional support Strong in ABS for nearly two decades Building knowledge and capacity takes time Building understanding of accounts and how to use them also takes time Especially needed with limited funding and sometimes opposition Support for water accounting aided by a prolonged drought International engagement Establishment of international standards and recommendations which can be applied nationally ABS has learnt from other experiences around the world Working collectively on common theoretical and practical problems Getting Here key lessons Experimental accounts Learning by doing Collaboration Potential users can see what an account looks like and consider how it could meet their needs Encourages user feedback Building a program of accounts National Naturalcapital (minerals, land, plantation timber) Environmental Energy, water, land An ongoing set of accounts Increased knowledge and skills of staff Continued improvement on systems, methods and data gaps Users can discover their potential, rely on them & built into the policy process 4

5 The Next Steps Maintain a regular time series Energy Water Land (currently experimental) Waste (currently experimental) Australian Environmental Economic (new) Build, share and promote use cases Target conversations on policy needs and how environmental accounting can help Department of Environment State governments The Next Steps Continue research program Biodiversity, carbon and ecosystem accounting Experimental protection expenditure Environmental taxes and subsidies Form Australian (SEEA) Implementation Board Establishment of technical capacity for producing core set of accounts Support for implementation of SEEA using flexible & modular approach Related projects and resources leveraged effectively Effective coordination with related international and national initiatives 5

6 Users Policy issues Policy frameworks Public information requirements A partnership of Currently produced statistics Experimental statistics R&D agenda Summary ABS environment statistics & Water Account (flows) Energy Account Land Environmental Taxes Waste Account Land Carbon Ecosystem Services Non ABS environment statistics Water Account (assets) GHG Emissions R&D agenda Carbon Ecosystem Condition ABS Strategy User Engagement Understanding the issues of concern & policy directions Establishing information needs and priorities. Collaboration Working together with other providers of statistics Identifying and respecting each others roles Strengthening governance and coordination Secure funding ABS Program Develop& refine statistical concepts, frameworks, methods and sources Produce Experimental accounts Regular time series Acknowledgements This contribution from the Australian Bureau of Statistics is made possible by funding from AusAID in support of the World Bank s WAVES programme. 6