Environmental accounts are organised using national accounts as a base to enable reporting on environmental statistics and economic statistics in a common system. The environmental accounts, which are a UN-based statistical standard, provide opportunities for analysing connections between the economy and the environment, in particular through the use of industries that are reported according to the Swedish Industrial Classification (SNI).

Statistics Sweden’s Environmental accounts

Statistics on the environmental sector form part of the environmental accounts framework. Since 2017, under the regulation on European environmental accounts, it is mandatory for EU Member States to report these statistics annually to Eurostat. However, Statistics Sweden has published statistics on dates earlier than this, where statistics are available as early as 2003. In connection with the publication in 2018, the statistics were revised to better align with new guidelines and to be more closely integrated with the national accounts. This also enables deeper national and international comparisons, such as the environmental sector’s contribution to the Swedish economy. In addition to the national accounts data, data on company finances is also used to describe net turnover, from RAMS (register-based labour market statistics) to describe gainful employment, and from foreign trade statistics to describe exports.

Statistics on the environmental sector are based on a micro-database of companies and workplaces that produce environmentally-friendly goods and services. The statistics follow Eurostat’s environmental sector manual, which contains definitions of which economic activities are included in the environmental sector. Examples of economic activity included are production of renewable energy, wastewater treatment, waste management, sanitation, environmental consultants and organic farming. Examples of economic activity not included are wholesale of waste products, nuclear power and public transport.

Previous statistics that have been published on the environmental sector have been revised and the entire time series has been updated. The revision has primarily affected the industries A02 forestry and logging and F41-43 construction operations. A new top-down method applies to these two industries. For forestry and logging, statistics on the environmental sector are based on certified forestry. For construction operations, statistics on the environmental sector are based on nearly-zero energy buildings.

To read more on definitions and delimitations, see Eurostat’s handbook:

Environmental goods and services accounts, Handbook, 2016