Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
AppendixC
The System of Environmental-Economic
Accounts
C.1 Asset accounts for mineral and energy resources in the SEEA
As was explained in Sec. 2.5.1, the U.N.'s System of Environmental-Economic Ac-
counts (SEEA) is intended to be a universal single measurement system providing
information on water, energy, minerals, timber, soil, land, ecosystems, pollution and
waste production, that is to say, the consumption of all things that create interac-
tions between society and Nature. The environmental assets are presented as both
physical and monetary data.
Specifically, asset accounts for mineral and energy resources should organise in-
formation regarding stocks, extraction flows, depletion degree, discoveries, as well
as monetary estimates of added value, the operating surplus of the extracting com-
panies and depletion adjusted value added measures.
The way in which a physical flow is accounted for follows the structure of Mon-
etary and Use Supply Tables that show product transactions between different eco-
nomic entities such as industries, households, government and the rest of the world.
The structure of the Physical Supply and Use Tables (PSUT), adds another entity:
the environment. This is done by adding columns and rows that count the flows
coming to and from it. These tables also separate accounts for material flow, water
and energy sub-systems.
Known deposits of mineral and energy resources are classified by SEEA accord-
ing to the United Nations Framework Classification for Fossil Energy and Mineral
Reserves and Resources 2009 (UNFC-2009)
21
. The UNFC-2009 classifies deposits
using a triple dimension criteria: economic and social viability (E), field project
status and feasibility (F), and geological knowledge (G). The first criterion (E) es-
tablishes the commercial viability of the project. The second criterion (F) indicates
where the technical extraction project is on the road between exploration and mar-
ket. The third criterion (G) designates the level of certainty in geological knowledge
and potential recoverability of given quantities. Each criterion is further numbered
as high (1), moderate (2), low (3) or very low (4).
21
http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/energy/se/pdfs/UNFC/UNFC2009_ECE_EnergySeries39.pdf.
Accessed Feb. 2012.
553
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