SEEA-related Indicators for the Global Biodiversity Framework
Biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being, a healthy planet, and economic prosperity for all people. We depend on it for food, medicine, energy, clean air and water, security from natural disasters as well as recreation and cultural inspiration. It supports all systems of life on Earth. Yet, the evidence is clear, biodiversity is declining faster than at any time in human history.
In December 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted by countries around the world to rebalance our relationship with nature. It sets out an ambitious pathway to reach the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) vision of a world living in harmony with nature by 2050. The GBF comprises of four actionable and measurable goals for 2050 and 23 targets for urgent action by 2030.
The GBF is supported by a monitoring framework that provides a range of indicators to help countries measure and report progress towards these goals and targets. Recognizing the role of statistical standards in providing high-quality, relevant and coherent data, the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) is recommended as the basis for calculating several of these indicators. These include headline indicators for Goal A (Protect and Restore) and Goal B (Prosper with Nature).
About the project
To support countries in implementing the GBF, the project "SEEA-related Indicators for the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)" was launched in October 2024. This two-year project, funded by the European Union, is led by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), with the participation of three project countries —Colombia, Indonesia and Uganda, and in collaboration with the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3).
The project focuses on developing methodology, global datasets and tools to help countries calculate and report SEEA-based headline indicators for the GBF using an accounting approach.
Project goals
The goal of the project is to enable countries to report on SEEA-related indicators of the GBF monitoring framework and measure their progress towards living in harmony with nature. To achieve this, the project will:
- Develop operational guidelines to support countries to calculate SEEA-related headlines indicators A.2 (Extent of natural ecosystems) and B.1 (Services provided by ecosystems).
- Test and refine guidelines for the calculation of these indicators using national and global data in three project countries: Colombia, Indonesia and Uganda.
- Develop global data and tools to support calculation of these indicators using the ARIES for SEEA Explorer.
- Build capacity to use the SEEA to support reporting of these indicators of the GBF.
Key partners
The project will be implemented in partnership with national statistical offices and relevant national institutions from the three participating countries. UNSD will be working in collaboration with the CBD Secretariat throughout the implementation of the project. Particular attention will be given to engaging the national CBD focal points, and other relevant decision makers, business, NGO communities and academia as potential users of SEEA accounts and related indicators. Technical outputs will be reviewed by the UN Committee of Experts on Environmental Economic Accounting (UNCEEA) and its Technical Committee on SEEA Ecosystem Accounting.
The SEEA and the GBF
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Learn more about how the SEEA can monitor and inform the GBF below:
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Using the SEEA for monitoring and informing the Global Biodiversity Framework |
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The project is financed by the European Union under the "Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument". The contents of this website do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. |