Alessandra AlfieriUnited Nations Statistics Division

Alessandra AlfieriUnited Nations Statistics Division

Lessons learnt from the implementation of SEEA-Water

Lessons learnt from the implementation of SEEA-Water

In the 5th World Water Forum, the world’s largest water policy event, three sessions were devoted to the topic of data and information for the water sector. The participants identified the following problems:

• Challenges faced in the water sector are growing, but the data required to take informed decisions is decreasing.

• There is lack of integrated data. The sector requires the integration of data related to water quantity and quality, socio-economic relations and environmental aspects.

• Data provision and interpretation should be demand driven and reflect the needs of different disciplines and users.

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The System of Environment-Economic Accounting for Water (SEEA-Water) is a conceptual framework to create water information systems that are policy relevant. It integrates information of different aspects related to water and the economy, linked to the System of National Accounts.

StatisticsIntegrated information

SEEA-Water is a useful tool that helps in getting from statistics to integrated information. It therefore helps to identify the key policy issues as well as possible information gaps.

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The UN Statistical Commission adopted the SEEA-Water as an interim international statistical standard in 2007. The number of countries producing or developing water accounts has increased quickly, current list shown below:

AndorraArmeniaAustraliaAustriaBahamasBahrainBotswanaBrazilCanadaChina

ColombiaDenmarkDominican Rep.EgyptEstoniaFranceGermanyGreeceGuatemalaHungary

IraqIsraelItalyJordanLebanonMauritiusMexicoNamibiaNetherlandsNew Zealand

NorwayOc. Palestinian TerritoryOmanPanamaPeruPhilippinesPortugalRomaniaSingaporeSouth Africa

SpainSwedenSwitzerlandTrinidad & TobagoTunisiaTurkeyUkraineUnited Kingdom

Water management

Water data

Data collection

Data processing and compilation

Data storage and dissemination

Data analysis, water policies and

management

SEEAW and other frameworks

Use of consistent concepts & definitions classifications

Spatial references

Temporal references

Direct measurement

Surveys

Remote sensing

Databases and GIS

Metadata & data quality

Use of internet

Audiences for data(indicators, accounts, etc)

State of water /

use of water

The following diagram shows the cycle of data acquisition, processing and use, as well as the role of SEEA-Water in this process.

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SEEA-Water and IRWS provide guidance for countries to develop a integrated information systems on water.

SEEA-Water and IRWS are complemented by compilation guidelines. Training materials have been prepared to assist countries in their implementation.

Added value:• Help to improve statistical quality by

guaranteeing consistency.• Provide policy-makers with coherent

time series of data, indicators and descriptive statistics for scenario modeling

• Implicitly define ownership and hence responsibility for environmental impacts

• Harmonization of information, making it possible to have comparable indicators.

Inland Water Resource System

Economy

Eva

po

rati

on

R

etu

rns

Sea Sea

Atmosphere

Abstraction

Imports Exports

Returns

Outflows

Evaporation

Precipitation for in situ use

Pre

cip

itat

ion

Inflows

Outflows

Ab

stra

cti

on

SEEA-Water is based on a stock-flow model comprising two main subsystems: the inland water resource system and the economy.

Rest of the World Economy

Outside territory of reference

Outside territory of reference

Rest of the World Economy

Ev

ap

ora

tio

n

Sea Sea

Atmosphere

Abstraction

Imports Exports

Evaporation

Pre

cip

ita

tio

n

Economy

Water supply

Households

Other industries (incl. Agriculture)

Sewerage

Collection of precipitation

Inland Water Resource System

Groundwater

Soil waterSurface water Natural transfers

Ab

stra

ctio

n

Re

turn

s

Re

turn

Re

turn

OutflowsInflows

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The details of each subsystem are shown in the following diagram

Outside territory of reference

Outside territory of reference

Rest of the World Economy

Rest of the World Economy

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SEEA-Water covers all the physicial and economic stocks and flows associated with water. It also covers emissions of pollutants and water quality, as can be seen in its table of contents:

Chapters 1 through 6 have been adopted as interim standards (until SEEA-2003 is reviewed and SEEA-Water made consistent). The other chapters are still experimental.

• Chapter 1: Introduction to SEEA-Water• Chapter 2: The SEEA-Water framework• Chapter 3: Physical Water Supply and Use

Tables• Chapter 4: Water Emissions Accounts• Chapter 5: Hybrid and Economic Accounts for

Activities and Products Related to Water.

• Chapter 6: Water Asset Accounts

• Chapter 7: Water Quality Accounts• Chapter 8: Valuation of Water Resources• Chapter 9: Examples of Applications of Water

Accounts

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The International Recommendations for Water Statistics (IRWS) were designed to assist countries in the collection, compilation and dissemination of internationally comparable water statistics, with the following characteristics:

IRWS has two parts. Part I consists of the international recommendations, part II is about guidelines for implementation, not yet normative.

• IRWS is consistent with SEEA-Water but it has a broader scope

• Include social-demographic data needed for monitoring of MDG target 7C

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The main problems faced in the implementation of SEEA-Water and IRWS are the following:

A new version of SEEA-Water should be ready by 2012. This provides a great opportunity to improve the system and include relevant actors in the process.

• They are relatively new, not well known and poorly understood• They were developed by the statistical community with little engagement

from the water community• The complexity to implement them has been overestimated• Data is generated by different agencies and often there are no limited or

institutional arrangements to coordinate and share the data• Data required may often unavailable or incomplete

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Increasing water challenges require major improvements in the information systems that support decisions in the water sector. SEEA-Water and IRWS are an important part on the way forward; however, it is necessary to:

• Engage the water community in the process of implementation and revision of these frameworks.

• Build partnerships between the statistics and water communities, like the creation of an expert group lead by the World Water Assessment Program (WWAP) and the UN Statistics Division.

• Enable legal and institutional arrangements to collect, integrate and disseminate data in countries.

• Train people in the use of these frameworks.

Muchas gracias!

Alessandra Alfieri (alfieri@un.org)Chief, Environmental-Economic Accounts Section

UN Statistics Division