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Strategy for Environmental-Economic Accounts in India 2026-2030
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) releases the “Strategy for Environmental-Economic Accounts in India: 2026-2030.” The strategy builds upon the previous 2022-2026 strategy and aligns with international environmental accounting frameworks.
Strategy for Environmental-Economic Accounts in India:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Objective | The strategy provides for a strategic roadmap to strengthen environmental accounting, address data gaps, and expand the coverage of environmental-economic accounts in India. |
| Major areas | The strategy covers: natural resources (forests, minerals, soils, and land); water resources (availability, usage, and related environmental data); climate-related accounting (carbon stocks and associated environmental activities); biodiversity (resources and ecosystem information); environmental statistics (enhanced data coverage, quality, and comparability); emerging and expanded accounts (ocean and energy accounts, material flows, and urban ecosystems). |
| SEEA: status and endorsement | The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) is an international statistical framework that has been endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission. |
| SEEA: linkage with national accounts | The SEEA combines environmental and economic data using concepts, classifications, and accounting rules that align with the System of National Accounts. |
| SEEA: use | The SEEA enables evidence-based policymaking to advance sustainable development. |
| SEEA components | The SEEA comprises two components: SEEA Central Framework (SEEA-CF) and SEEA Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA). |
| SEEA Central Framework | SEEA-CF focuses on physical and monetary accounts for environmental assets, natural resource flows, and economic activities related to the environment. |
| SEEA Ecosystem Accounting | SEEA-EA focuses on ecosystem extent, condition, ecosystem services, and changes in ecosystem assets. |
| Environmental-economic accounting: definition | Environmental-economic accounting systematically quantifies the interconnections among the environment, natural resources, and economic systems. |
| Environmental-economic accounting: coverage | Environmental-economic accounting tracks natural resources, their use in economic activities, environmental changes, and associated expenditures. |
| Environmental-economic accounting: relation to national accounts | Environmental-economic accounting complements conventional national accounts, which primarily measure economic activity and may not fully reflect changes in natural capital. |
| India: initiation year | MoSPI has initiated the development of environmental accounts in 2018. |
| 2022-2026 strategy: priority areas | The 2022-2026 strategy identifies priority areas: Material Flow Accounts (MFAs), Ocean Accounts, Energy Accounts, and Thematic Accounts for Biodiversity and Urban Areas. |
| Subsequent initiatives and publications: coverage | Subsequent initiatives and publications address forests, biodiversity, wetlands, soil, water quality, croplands, energy, residuals, urban ecosystems, and pollination services. |
| 2026-2030 strategy: scope expansion | The 2026-2030 strategy seeks to build on these developments and broaden the scope of environmental accounting. |