The possible impact of national accounts and balances on the development of frameworks for environment statistics

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Laganier, J.¹

Note: [1] Jean Laganier completed his studies at the ‘Ecole Polytechnique’ and subsequently at the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration (ENSAE). He worked first in the Ministry of Industry (1969–1976), then at the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) (1976–1979) in the field of national accounting, specially on health and social accounts, and also environmental accounts. He is now teaching economics at the University of Social Sciences of Grenoble, and working as a researcher at its Research Institute of Economics and Planning (IREP).

Abstract: The relationship economy-nature is to be reconsidered, for most economists unilaterally try to internalize environmental costs into the economy. In this context, it can be asked whether the System of National Accounts (SNA), described as a set of tools for classification and measurement, can have an impact on frameworks for environment statistics. An analytical and empirical investigation of this question leads to some proposals for (i) the use of the SNA without (or with only minor) modifications; and (ii) possible modifications or improvements of the SNA.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1984-2105

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 43-61, 1984