SEEA Ecosystem Accounting free self-paced online course now available

The UN Statistics Division (UNSD) and UN Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (UNSIAP) have launched a new e-learning course on SEEA Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA). The course which was developed under the overall guidance of the UN Committee of Experts on Environmental Economic Accounting (UNCEEA), introduces the SEEA EA, the recently adopted international statistical standard for organizing data about ecosystems, measuring ecosystem services, tracking changes in ecosystem assets, and linking this information to economic and other human activity.  

The course contains 8 interactive modules, and covers topics related to ecosystem extent, ecosystem condition, ecosystem services, valuation of ecosystem services and biophysical modelling. In this course, participants also learn about how the ecosystem accounts can be used to compile indicators and develop policy scenario analysis. The self-paced course is now available at no cost on the UNSD e-learning platform. Staff of national statistical offices, line ministries, other agencies working on issues related to the environment and those interested in learning more about the SEEA EA are welcome to enrol in the course. At the moment the modules are available in English only, but they are already being translated and will be available in Spanish and French shortly as well as other UN languages.

On occasion of the launch of the course, a facilitated training was held April-June. Over 750 participants from around 85 countries took part in the course. Highlights of the course were the 9 webinars where experts from national statistical offices, international organizations and academia shared their expertise on various ecosystem accounting topics. During the webinars, participants also had a chance to raise questions and interact with experts during the Q&A sessions. Presentations and recordings of the webinars can be accessed on the event page.