Meeting of the Technical Committee on the SEEA Central Framework on the update of the SEEA Central Framework

Adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) in 2012 as the first international statistical standard for environmental-economic accounting, the SEEA Central Framework is being updated to reflect growing policy demands for integrated environmental and economic data  in support of emerging  policies such as climate change, circular economy, biodiversity and other sustainability issues.  The update also aims to ensure coherence with recent revisions to related statistical standards and classifications,  including the System of National Accounts.  

Endorsed by the UNSC during its 55th session in March 2024 (Decision 55/109(s) of E/CN.3/2024/36) , the update of the SEEA Central Framework is being carried out under the auspices of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (UNCEEA) and its Technical Committee on the SEEA Central Framework, in close collaboration with the London Group on Environmental Accounting and other expert groups. It is expected that the update process will be completed with the submission of the final document to the Statistical Commission at its fifty-ninth session in 2028.

The research agenda for the update of the SEEA Central Framework comprises 29 priority issues which were endorsed by the Commission in March 2025 (Decision 56/112 (a) of E/CN.3/2025/37). As part of the overall process, it is planned that the Guidance Notes will be subject to a global consultation such that the proposed treatments are widely discussed and consulted, ahead of the drafting of the updated SEEA Central Framework.

This meeting of the Technical Committee on the SEEA Framework will convene experts to discuss the technical content related to the update of the SEEA Central Framework.  Focus will be placed on the review  and discussion of content planned for release for global consultation in February 2026 (tranche #1). Other content may also be reviewed to provide appropriate direction to those preparing the Guidance Notes.

The meeting will be held in person from 17 to 21 November 2025 in New York.