Mandate and Governance Structure Mandate and Governance Structure of the of the

London GroupLondon Group

OutlineOutline

• Mandate of the London Group Mandate of the London Group

• How the LG responded to different How the LG responded to different international challenges (i.e. SEEA-2003)international challenges (i.e. SEEA-2003)

• Recent change in the international Recent change in the international environment (creation of the UNCEEA)environment (creation of the UNCEEA)

• New mandateNew mandate

• Proposed new governance structureProposed new governance structure

Mandate of the LGMandate of the LG

Established in 1994 as a the City Group (by the Statistical Established in 1994 as a the City Group (by the Statistical Commission) with the objectives of:Commission) with the objectives of:

(a)(a) Playing a leadership role in defining international best Playing a leadership role in defining international best practices in the theory and practice of environmental practices in the theory and practice of environmental accounting within the framework of the SNA; accounting within the framework of the SNA;

(b)(b) Providing a forum for the sharing of national and Providing a forum for the sharing of national and international expertise in this field; international expertise in this field;

(c)(c) Encouraging the adoption of best practices in the field Encouraging the adoption of best practices in the field by promoting the results of the LG's efforts via by promoting the results of the LG's efforts via proceedings volumes, concepts and methods manuals, proceedings volumes, concepts and methods manuals, operational manuals and other meansoperational manuals and other means

Governance structure 1994-1997Governance structure 1994-1997

LG is an informal group of statisticians from LG is an informal group of statisticians from NSOs and int. organizations.NSOs and int. organizations.

Yearly meeting, report to the UN Statistical Yearly meeting, report to the UN Statistical CommissionCommission

In 1998, the UN SC agrees that the LG In 1998, the UN SC agrees that the LG undertake the revision of the SEEAundertake the revision of the SEEA → new → new governance structuregovernance structure

Governance structure 1998-2003 Governance structure 1998-2003

• Secretariat of the LG, Statistics CanadaSecretariat of the LG, Statistics Canada• Coordinating Committee (CC) with the main objective of Coordinating Committee (CC) with the main objective of

steering the SEEA revision. It was composed of:steering the SEEA revision. It was composed of:• the most recent and future host of the LG meetingsthe most recent and future host of the LG meetings• Statistics Canada, Secretariat of the LGStatistics Canada, Secretariat of the LG• the publishing agencies of the SEEA-2003: Eurostat, the publishing agencies of the SEEA-2003: Eurostat,

OECD, UNSD, the World Bank (IMF even though a OECD, UNSD, the World Bank (IMF even though a publishing agency did not become a member of the CCpublishing agency did not become a member of the CC

New governance structureNew governance structure

Governance structure 2003-2006Governance structure 2003-2006

CC responsible for organising the LG meetings. It CC responsible for organising the LG meetings. It was composed of was composed of

• the past and future host of the LG meetingsthe past and future host of the LG meetings

• Statistics Canada as secretariat Statistics Canada as secretariat

• UNSDUNSD

3 sub-groups were established in 2003 to address 3 sub-groups were established in 2003 to address specific issues and develop compilation guidelines.specific issues and develop compilation guidelines.

Sub-groups of the LGSub-groups of the LG

Sub-group on Water Accounting, moderated by UNSD Sub-group on Water Accounting, moderated by UNSD which contributed to the SEEAW handbook (finalized which contributed to the SEEAW handbook (finalized recently)recently)

Subgroup on Mineral and Energy Accounts, moderated by Subgroup on Mineral and Energy Accounts, moderated by Statistics Denmark which carried out a survey on Statistics Denmark which carried out a survey on country implementation of mineral and energy asset country implementation of mineral and energy asset accounts and developed guidelines for a handbook on accounts and developed guidelines for a handbook on mineral and energy asset accounts;mineral and energy asset accounts;

Subgroup on the Expansion of the SEEA to Social Aspects, Subgroup on the Expansion of the SEEA to Social Aspects, moderated by Statistics Sweden which prepared moderated by Statistics Sweden which prepared discussion papers for discussion at the LG meetingsdiscussion papers for discussion at the LG meetings

UNCEEAUNCEEA

In 2005, the UN SC establishes a UN Committee of In 2005, the UN SC establishes a UN Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (UNCEEA)Accounting (UNCEEA) with the objectives of with the objectives of

(a)(a) Mainstreaming environmental-economic Mainstreaming environmental-economic accounting and related statistics accounting and related statistics

(b)(b) Elevating the Elevating the SEEA SEEA to an international to an international statistical standardstatistical standard

(c)(c) Advancing the implementation of the SEEA Advancing the implementation of the SEEA at the global level. at the global level.

The UNCEEA’s The UNCEEA’s programme of programme of work work

(a)(a) coordination of groups working on coordination of groups working on environmental-economic accounting and environmental-economic accounting and related statisticsrelated statistics

(b)(b) promotion and implementation of the SEEApromotion and implementation of the SEEA(c)(c) methodological research methodological research (d)(d) harmonisation of data collection activities with harmonisation of data collection activities with

environmental-economic accounting concepts environmental-economic accounting concepts and definitions. and definitions.

CoordinationCoordination

• ““UNCEEA has within its mandate an umbrella function UNCEEA has within its mandate an umbrella function in coordinating and providing vision, direction and in coordinating and providing vision, direction and prioritization to ensure that existing groups work in prioritization to ensure that existing groups work in complementary fashion” (UNSC Report of the complementary fashion” (UNSC Report of the Secretary General, E/CN.3/2006/9 para 7). Secretary General, E/CN.3/2006/9 para 7).

To this end, the UNCEEA has been in contact with the LG To this end, the UNCEEA has been in contact with the LG to establish cooperation in the advancement of the to establish cooperation in the advancement of the research agenda research agenda

Methodological researchMethodological research

OBJECTIVE: Elevating the SEEA to the level of a OBJECTIVE: Elevating the SEEA to the level of a standard by 2010standard by 2010

HOW:HOW:The UNCEEA will develop a programme of research The UNCEEA will develop a programme of research

focusing on refining and clarifying those issues that focusing on refining and clarifying those issues that will permit elevating it to the level of a statistical will permit elevating it to the level of a statistical standard as well as a longer term research agenda. standard as well as a longer term research agenda.

The UNCEEA will prioritize the issues, identify working The UNCEEA will prioritize the issues, identify working groups to resolve them, monitor progress of the groups to resolve them, monitor progress of the working groups, review their recommendations and working groups, review their recommendations and report to the SC on the proposed solutionsreport to the SC on the proposed solutions

UNCEEA requests to LGUNCEEA requests to LG

The UNCEEA has requested that the LG The UNCEEA has requested that the LG consider accepting a significant number of consider accepting a significant number of issues of the research agenda as part of its issues of the research agenda as part of its work program. work program.

The UNCEEA calls for a new governance The UNCEEA calls for a new governance structure of the LG to meet the request of structure of the LG to meet the request of the UNCEEA to undertake the research the UNCEEA to undertake the research within an agreed time schedule within an agreed time schedule

New mandate of the LGNew mandate of the LG

• 2006-20082006-2008

to resolve those issues in the research agenda to resolve those issues in the research agenda that the LG agrees to cover during this that the LG agrees to cover during this meeting (NY, June 2006) and its next meeting (NY, June 2006) and its next meeting (South Africa, early 2007)meeting (South Africa, early 2007)

Proposed governance structureProposed governance structure

The LG would be composed of:The LG would be composed of:

• A ChairA Chair

• A SecretariatA Secretariat

• Members of the LGMembers of the LG

Role of the ChairRole of the Chair

• Develop the programme of work and time schedule for Develop the programme of work and time schedule for the LG on the basis of the agreed list of issuesthe LG on the basis of the agreed list of issues

• Facilitate the discussion during and in-between meetingsFacilitate the discussion during and in-between meetings• Contribute substantively to the solution of the issuesContribute substantively to the solution of the issues• Make sure that agreements on issues are reachedMake sure that agreements on issues are reached• Monitor that issue and outcome papers are prepared Monitor that issue and outcome papers are prepared

according to scheduleaccording to schedule• Report on progress made to the UNCEEAReport on progress made to the UNCEEA

To be elected during this meeting (NY, June 2006)To be elected during this meeting (NY, June 2006)

Role of the SecretariatRole of the Secretariat

• Assist the Chair in its tasks (incl. providing day-Assist the Chair in its tasks (incl. providing day-to-day management of the LG, the design of the to-day management of the LG, the design of the agenda and organization of the LG meetings) agenda and organization of the LG meetings)

• Establish a website for the update of the SEEA Establish a website for the update of the SEEA (following the model of the 1993 SNA update)(following the model of the 1993 SNA update)

• Maintain internal and external communication on Maintain internal and external communication on behalf of the LGbehalf of the LG

Role of the LG membersRole of the LG members

• Actively contribute to solving the issues on the Actively contribute to solving the issues on the research agendaresearch agenda

• Prepare issue and outcome paper according to an Prepare issue and outcome paper according to an agreed format and time scheduleagreed format and time schedule

• Actively participate in electronic discussion Actively participate in electronic discussion groups (EDG) that will be created as appropriategroups (EDG) that will be created as appropriate