Research agenda

1
Research agenda

• London Group
• (New York, 19 - 21 June 2006)

2
Overview

• Background
• General issues
• Scope of the update of the SEEA-2003
• Coverage of the SEEA-2003
• Link with the 1993 SNA and BPM6 how close?
• Issues by chapters
• Timeline/calendar of events

3
Background

• One of the UNCEEAs objective is
• To elevate the SEEA to an international standard
  by 2010
• Link the release of the SEEA with other standards
  (SNA, BPM6, ISIC, CPC, etc.)
• SEEA-2003 major step forward
• But, need more work to harmonize concepts and
  methods

4
What has been done?

• Develop a preliminary list of issues based on
  contributions received from various group active
  in environmental-economic accounts and related
  statistics
• Environmental accounts (London Group, MFA)
• national accounts and balance of payments (AEG,
  BOPCOM, ISWGNA, OECD National Accounts meetings,
  TFHPSA, etc.)
• Environment statistics (ISWGEnv. Stats.)
• Energy statistics (Oslo Group, ISWGEnv.Stats.)

5
What has been done? (2)

• Issues are organized according to
• Cross-cutting issues
• Organized by chapters of the SEEA-2003
• New issues
• Issues are classified according to whether
• Long-term (relevant but agreement cannot be
  reached by 2008)
• Short-term (completed by 2008)

6
Scope of the handbook

• Considering that the SEEA 2010 will be a
  statistical standard
• Should country practices and examples be included
  in the SEEA?
• Should compilation and implementation issues be
  addressed? If not where should they be addressed?
• At what level of detail should standard tables be
  developed?
• Should performance and impact indicators be
  included?

7
Links with the 1993 SNA how close?

• There exist different approaches than the
  SEEA-2003, in particular embraced by environment
  and energy statistics
• Main differences in the approaches are
• Residence vs. presence principle
• Treatment of mobile sources
• How should the SEEA-2003 address these
  differences?

8
Where are we?

• Have already agreed on organizations /individuals
  that will lead the research agenda by
  chapters/issues
• London Group has discussed most of the issues in
  the research agenda, in particular
• Can the issue be solved by 2008?
• Process for solving the issues (who will do what,
  when, with whom, time frame)
• Are there missing issues in the list?

9
What next?

• Finalize a detailed list of issues with
  contributors and time schedule for solving them
• Prepare a programme of work with time schedule
  for addressing the issue and process to address
  it
• LG members to prepare issue papers according to
  an agreed structure for discussion at next LG
  meeting
• Outcome papers summarizing the conclusions of the
  Group submitted to UNCEEA
• Submit outcome papers to the UNCEEA

10
Timeline

• Revise and finalize the list of issues (end
  2006?)
• Identify issues to be resolved between now and
  mid 2008
• Revise the handbook mid 2008 to end 2009
• SEEA 2010 submitted to UN Statistical Commission
  in March 2010
• SCHEDULE IS VERY TIGHT gt UNCEEA to evaluate it
  whether it can be done

11
Calendar of events

• February 2007 London Group meeting (South
  Africa)
• April 2007 Oslo Group (India)
• June 2007 UNCEEA meeting
• November 2007 London Group meeting
• June 2008 London Group and UNCEEA meeting
  (back-to-back)
• MFA Group?
• Eurostat Task Forces?
• DIMESA Meetings?

12
Additional issues

• Editor ?
• to bring together results of discussion on issues
  in a single handbook
• To bring together chapters written by group of
  authors
• Characteristics of the editor
• Knowledgeable of environmental and national
  accounts
• Capable of reaching consensus
• Impartial
• Funding for the editor

13
Questions to the UNCEEA?

• What is the view of the UNCEEA in terms of the
  scope of the SEEA?
• Country practices and examples?
• Compilation and implementation practices?
• Standard tables ?
• Accounting identities and aggregates?
• Specific resources?
• Sectoral approaches?
• What is your view in terms of the linkages
  between the SEEA and the SNA? How to address the
  differences?
• How can the UNCEEA cope with the tight time
  schedule?
• Do we need an editor?