Context: Recently, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) compiled and released the 7th consecutive issue of the publication “EnviStats India 2024: Environment Accounts” in accordance with the SEEA (System of Environmental- Economic Accounting) Framework which is an agreed international framework for the compilation of the Environment Economic accounts.

About EnviStats India 2024

• EnviStats (Environment Statistics) have been compiled in accordance with the SEEA (System of Environmental- Economic Accounting) Framework. 

• EnviStats provide information about environment, its most important changes over time and across locations and main factors that influence them.

• Publication includes Four areas- Energy Accounts, Ocean Accounts, Soil Nutrient Index and Biodiversity.

Key Highlights

• India emerged as world leader in energy transition. 

• Around 72% increase in number and around 16% increase in area for Total Protected Area during 2000 to 2023.

• Coverage of Mangroves has increased around 8% during 2013 to 2021. 

Significance of EnviStats

• Sustainable management of natural resources, key to long-term development. 

• Balance economic growth with environmental sustainability. 

• Provide alternate means of measuring prosperity and progress and go beyond GDP. 

• Data-driven policymaking.

About System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA)

• It is an agreed international framework for the compilation of the Environment Economic accounts.

• It describes the interaction between the economy and the environment, as well as the stocks and changes in stocks of environmental assets.

• There are two sides of SEEA- SEEA-Central Framework (SEEA-CF) and SEEA-Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA)

• SEEA-Central Framework: A measurement system that combines information on the environment and the economy. It uses the same accounting concepts to integrate information on water, energy, land, pollution, and more. This information can then be linked to economic information. 

• SEEA-Ecosystem Accounting: A framework that tracks changes in ecosystems and links them to economic and human activity. It considers how environmental assets interact within a given area and measures the value of ecosystem services. The UN Statistical Commission adopted SEEA-EA in 2021. 

• To understand the logic of the SEEA EA, consider the role that forests play in providing communities with clean water. Forests act as natural water filters, with trees and other plants absorbing nutrient pollution like nitrogen and phosphorous before it can ?ow into streams, rivers and lakes. This natural system provides benefits for humans – studies have shown that communities downstream of intact and healthy forests spend less on water treatment, all else equal, than communities that live downstream of degraded forests.

Environment Accounts in India

• National Statistical Office under MoSPI is mandated with the “Development of Environment Statistics and methodology of National Resource Accounts for India”.

• MoSPI released the ‘Strategy for Environmental Economic Accounts in India: 2022-26’.

• India also participated in ‘Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem services (NCAVES)’.

• NCAVES was launched by United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), UNEP and Secretariat of CBD in 2017.

• First EnviStats were released in 2018 on recommendations of Sir Partha Dasgupta Committee.