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Natural capital and sustainability
Malcolm Thompson
20 September 2012
Natural Capital and Sustainability

  Sustainability:	
  the	
  maintenance	
  or	
  improvement	
  
  of	
  wellbeing	
  over	
  3me.	
  
  	
  
  Wellbeing:	
  	
  combina3on	
  of	
  economic	
  prosperity,	
  
  community	
  liveability	
  and	
  environmental	
  integrity,	
  
  determined	
  by	
  the	
  quality,	
  quan3ty,	
  distribu3on,	
  
  use	
  and	
  preserva3on	
  of	
  stocks	
  of	
  economic,	
  
  human,	
  social	
  and	
  natural	
  capital.	
  
The importance of natural capital



                        •  Natural resources are valuable
                           to us
                        •  Ecosystems provide goods and
                           services
                        •  Both a public and private good
The state of Australia’s natural capital

State: relatively good
compared to other countries.

Challenges:
•  Climate change
•  Water
•  Land
•  Biodiversity
•  Data
National Plan for Environmental Information

                      •    Important first step to reform
                           environmental information base.

                      •    Led by the Bureau of Meteorology

                      •    Will deliver improved environmental
                           information.

                      •    Standards and systems developed,
                           e.g. National Environmental
                           Accounts.
System of Environmental-Economic Accounts



•    SEEA adopted as international statistical
     standard in March 2012.


•    Extends System of National Accounts.


•    Combined physical and monetary data.
Current ABS products applying SEEA
Flow accounts
•    Water (annual)
•    Energy (annual)
•    Greenhouse gases (in development)
•    Waste (in production)

Stock accounts
•  Land (Victorian accounts in production)
•  Environment (annual - linked to SNA: land; subsoil assets; plantation timber;
     native timber)

Adjusting SNA aggregates
•  Depletion and degradation adjusted net national income (ABS Year
     Books)
Corporate sustainability reporting (CSR)

•  International Integrated          Benefits:
Reporting Council framework pilot    •  Decrease impact on environment
underway.                            •  Enhanced reputation.
•  Government supportive of global   •  Increased understanding of risks
framework for CSR.                   and opportunities.
                                     •  Demonstrate value of company.
                                     •  Incentive to improve on, engage
                                     in sustainable business practices.
Corporate sustainability reporting in government

Three-year sustainability reporting pilot underway in:
•    Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
•    Bureau of Meteorology
•    Department of Finance and Deregulation
•    Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
•    Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
•    Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
•    Department of Parliamentary Services

Objectives:
•    greater visibility to impacts of the business of government entities,
•    make sustainability more integral to decision-making
Rio+20 conference

Conference on contemporary sustainability challenges and responses.

Outcomes:
•  Encouragement of integrated
sustainability reporting.
•  Invitation to businesses to develop
sustainability strategies.
•  Agreement to explore broader
measures of progress taking social and
environmental factors into account.
Measuring Sustainability

•  Program stems from 2010
Sustainable Population Strategy.


•  Will deliver improved information
about economic, environmental and
social dimensions of sustainability.


•  Set of sustainability indicators to
inform integrated decision-making.
Measuring Sustainability – capital-based approach
                                   Social and Human
      Natural Capital                                             Economic Capital
                                        Capital



       Capital Stock                  Capital Stock                 Capital Stock
        Indicators                     Indicators                    Indicators




     Capital Flows and              Capital Flows and             Capital Flows and
     Drivers Indicators             Drivers Indicators            Drivers Indicators




                          Demographic and Contextual Indicators
The future

•  Comprehensive, consistent and regular
environment reporting through:
   –  National Plan for Environmental
      Information
   –  System of Environmental-Economic
      Accounts
   –  Measuring Sustainability

•  Cultural shift – embed consideration of
natural capital in decision-making by
governments, communities and private sector.

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Malcolm Thompson, SEWPAC - Presentation - UNAA Vic Natural Capital Seminar

  • 1. Natural capital and sustainability Malcolm Thompson 20 September 2012
  • 2. Natural Capital and Sustainability Sustainability:  the  maintenance  or  improvement   of  wellbeing  over  3me.     Wellbeing:    combina3on  of  economic  prosperity,   community  liveability  and  environmental  integrity,   determined  by  the  quality,  quan3ty,  distribu3on,   use  and  preserva3on  of  stocks  of  economic,   human,  social  and  natural  capital.  
  • 3. The importance of natural capital •  Natural resources are valuable to us •  Ecosystems provide goods and services •  Both a public and private good
  • 4. The state of Australia’s natural capital State: relatively good compared to other countries. Challenges: •  Climate change •  Water •  Land •  Biodiversity •  Data
  • 5. National Plan for Environmental Information •  Important first step to reform environmental information base. •  Led by the Bureau of Meteorology •  Will deliver improved environmental information. •  Standards and systems developed, e.g. National Environmental Accounts.
  • 6. System of Environmental-Economic Accounts •  SEEA adopted as international statistical standard in March 2012. •  Extends System of National Accounts. •  Combined physical and monetary data.
  • 7. Current ABS products applying SEEA Flow accounts •  Water (annual) •  Energy (annual) •  Greenhouse gases (in development) •  Waste (in production) Stock accounts •  Land (Victorian accounts in production) •  Environment (annual - linked to SNA: land; subsoil assets; plantation timber; native timber) Adjusting SNA aggregates •  Depletion and degradation adjusted net national income (ABS Year Books)
  • 8. Corporate sustainability reporting (CSR) •  International Integrated Benefits: Reporting Council framework pilot •  Decrease impact on environment underway. •  Enhanced reputation. •  Government supportive of global •  Increased understanding of risks framework for CSR. and opportunities. •  Demonstrate value of company. •  Incentive to improve on, engage in sustainable business practices.
  • 9. Corporate sustainability reporting in government Three-year sustainability reporting pilot underway in: •  Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities •  Bureau of Meteorology •  Department of Finance and Deregulation •  Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations •  Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs •  Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency •  Department of Parliamentary Services Objectives: •  greater visibility to impacts of the business of government entities, •  make sustainability more integral to decision-making
  • 10. Rio+20 conference Conference on contemporary sustainability challenges and responses. Outcomes: •  Encouragement of integrated sustainability reporting. •  Invitation to businesses to develop sustainability strategies. •  Agreement to explore broader measures of progress taking social and environmental factors into account.
  • 11. Measuring Sustainability •  Program stems from 2010 Sustainable Population Strategy. •  Will deliver improved information about economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability. •  Set of sustainability indicators to inform integrated decision-making.
  • 12. Measuring Sustainability – capital-based approach Social and Human Natural Capital Economic Capital Capital Capital Stock Capital Stock Capital Stock Indicators Indicators Indicators Capital Flows and Capital Flows and Capital Flows and Drivers Indicators Drivers Indicators Drivers Indicators Demographic and Contextual Indicators
  • 13. The future •  Comprehensive, consistent and regular environment reporting through: –  National Plan for Environmental Information –  System of Environmental-Economic Accounts –  Measuring Sustainability •  Cultural shift – embed consideration of natural capital in decision-making by governments, communities and private sector.