Alessandra Alfieri United Nations Statistics Division

1. Lessons learnt from the implementation of SEEA-Water Alessandra Alfieri United Nations Statistics Division

2. In the 5th World Water Forum, the world’s largest water policy event, three sessions were devoted to the topic of data and information for the water sector. The participants identified the following problems: • Challenges faced in the water sector are growing, but the data required to take informed decisions is decreasing. • There is lack of integrated data. The sector requires the integration of data related to water quantity and quality, socio-economic relations and environmental aspects. • Data provision and interpretation should be demand driven and reflect the needs of different disciplines and users. 2

3. The System of Environment-Economic Accounting for Water (SEEA-Water) is a conceptual framework to create water information systems that are policy relevant. It integrates information of different aspects related to water and the economy, linked to the System of National Accounts. Statistics Integrated information SEEA-Water is a useful tool that helps in getting from statistics to integrated information. It therefore helps to identify the key policy issues as well as possible information gaps.

4. The UN Statistical Commission adopted the SEEA-Water as an interim international statistical standard in 2007. The number of countries producing or developing water accounts has increased quickly, current list shown below: 4

5. The following diagram shows the cycle of data acquisition, processing and use, as well as the role of SEEA-Water in this process. Water data Databases and GIS Metadata & data quality Use of internet Audiences for data (indicators, accounts, etc) Direct measurement Surveys Remote sensing Data processing and compilation SEEAW and other frameworks Use of consistent concepts & definitions classifications Spatial references Temporal references Data collection Data storage and dissemination Water management Data analysis, water policies and management State of water / use of water

6. SEEA-Water and IRWS provide guidance for countries to develop a integrated information systems on water. • Added value: • Help to improve statistical quality by guaranteeing consistency. • Provide policy-makers with coherent time series of data, indicators and descriptive statistics for scenario modeling • Implicitly define ownership and hence responsibility for environmental impacts • Harmonization of information, making it possible to have comparable indicators. SEEA-Water and IRWS are complemented by compilation guidelines. Training materials have been prepared to assist countries in their implementation. 6

7. SEEA-Water is based on a stock-flow model comprising two main subsystems: the inland water resource system and the economy. Atmosphere Precipitation Evaporation Inland Water Resource System Inflows Outflows Outside territory of reference Outside territory of reference Outflows Precipitation for in situ use Abstraction Returns Sea Sea Evaporation Economy Abstraction Returns Rest of the World Economy Rest of the World Economy Imports Exports

8. The details of each subsystem are shown in the following diagram Atmosphere Inland Water Resource System Precipitation Evaporation Outside territory of reference Soil water Surface water Natural transfers Outflows Inflows Groundwater Outside territory of reference Sea Sea Collection of precipitation Evaporation Abstraction Returns Return Sewerage Abstraction Households Return Rest of the World Economy Other industries (incl. Agriculture) Water supply Rest of the World Economy Imports Exports Economy 8

9. SEEA-Water covers all the physicial and economic stocks and flows associated with water. It also covers emissions of pollutants and water quality, as can be seen in its table of contents: • Chapter 1: Introduction to SEEA-Water • Chapter 2: The SEEA-Water framework • Chapter 3: Physical Water Supply and Use Tables • Chapter 4: Water Emissions Accounts • Chapter 5: Hybrid and Economic Accounts for Activities and Products Related to Water. • Chapter 6: Water Asset Accounts • Chapter 7: Water Quality Accounts • Chapter 8: Valuation of Water Resources • Chapter 9: Examples of Applications of Water Accounts Chapters 1 through 6 have been adopted as interim standards (until SEEA-2003 is reviewed and SEEA-Water made consistent). The other chapters are still experimental. 9

10. The International Recommendations for Water Statistics (IRWS) were designed to assist countries in the collection, compilation and dissemination of internationally comparable water statistics, with the following characteristics: • IRWS is consistent with SEEA-Water but it has a broader scope • Include social-demographic data needed for monitoring of MDG target 7C IRWS has two parts. Part I consists of the international recommendations, part II is about guidelines for implementation, not yet normative. 10

11. The main problems faced in the implementation of SEEA-Water and IRWS are the following: • They are relatively new, not well known and poorly understood • They were developed by the statistical community with little engagement from the water community • The complexity to implement them has been overestimated • Data is generated by different agencies and often there are no limited or institutional arrangements to coordinate and share the data • Data required may often unavailable or incomplete A new version of SEEA-Water should be ready by 2012. This provides a great opportunity to improve the system and include relevant actors in the process.

12. Increasing water challenges require major improvements in the information systems that support decisions in the water sector. SEEA-Water and IRWS are an important part on the way forward; however, it is necessary to: • Engage the water community in the process of implementation and revision of these frameworks. • Build partnerships between the statistics and water communities, like the creation of an expert group lead by the World Water Assessment Program (WWAP) and the UN Statistics Division. • Enable legal and institutional arrangements to collect, integrate and disseminate data in countries. • Train people in the use of these frameworks. 12

13. Muchas gracias! Alessandra Alfieri (alfieri@un.org) Chief, Environmental-Economic Accounts Section UN Statistics Division