Applying the System of Environmental Economic Accounting-Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA) framework at catchment scale to develop ecosystem extent and condition accounts

This case study presents findings from a case study piloting the SEEA-EA at catchment scale in Ireland, with a view to providing information for the implementation of the SEEA-EA at varying scales, nationally and internationally. The catchment represents a distinct biophysical landscape unit with well-defined boundaries, forming the basis at which reporting is carried out under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Furthermore, the Integrated Catchment Management approach to preparing River Basin Management Plans throughout the EU, as part of the implementation of the WFD, has many parallels in approach and philosophy with the systems approach of the SEEA-EA (DHPLG 2018). In this study, we combine datasets, such as those gathered for reporting under the EU WFD and the EU Habitats Directive to develop the SEEA-EA accounts. This demonstrates how to make effective use of existing, comprehensive datasets by aligning them to develop their further use towards more integrated environmental management.