National natural capital accounting with the ecological footprint concept

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider and compare different ways of using numbers to value aspects of nature-beyond-the-human through case analysis of ecological and natural capital accounting practices in the UK that create standardised numerical-economic values for beyond-human natures. In addition, to contrast underlying ontological and ethical assumptions of these arithmetical approaches in ecological accounting with those associated with Pythagorean nature-numbering practices and fractal geometry. In doing so, to draw out distinctions between arithmetical and geometrical ontologies of nature and their relevance for “valuing nature”. Design/methodology/approach Close reading and review of policy texts and associated calculations in: UK natural capital accounts for “opening stock” inventories in 2007 and 2014; and in the experimental implementation of biodiversity offsetting (BDO) in land-use planning in England. Tracking the iterative calculations of biodiversity offset requirements in a specific planning case. Conceptual review, drawing on and contrasting different numbering practices being applied so as to generate numerical-economic values for natures-beyond-the-human. Findings In the cases of ecological accounting practices analysed here, the natures thus numbered are valued and “accounted for” using arithmetical methodologies that create commensurability and facilitate appropriation of the values so created. Notions of non-monetary value, and associated practices, are marginalised. Instead of creating standardisation and clarity, however, the accounting practices considered here for natural capital accounts and BDO create nature-signalling numbers that are struggled over and contested. Originality/value This is the first critical engagement with the specific policy texts and case applications considered here, and, the authors believe, the first attempt to contrast arithmetical and geometrical numbering practices in their application to the understanding and valuing of natures-beyond-the-human.

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Natural capital accounting and climate change

Nature Climate Change ◽

10.1038/nclimate2257 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 4 (7) ◽

pp. 520-522 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Matthew Agarwala ◽

Giles Atkinson ◽

Christopher Baldock ◽

Barry Gardiner

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Natural Capital Accounting

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The Natural Capital Accounting Opportunity: Let's Really Do the Numbers

BioScience ◽

10.1093/biosci/biy135 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 68 (12) ◽

pp. 940-943 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

James W Boyd ◽

Kenneth J Bagstad ◽

Jane Carter Ingram ◽

Carl D Shapiro ◽

Jeffery E Adkins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Capital ◽

Natural Capital Accounting

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Fairness analysis and compensation strategy in the Triangle of Central China driven by water-carbon-ecological footprints

10.21203/rs.3.rs-270972/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yizhong Chen ◽

Hongwei Lu ◽

Jing Li ◽

Youfeng Qiao ◽

Pengdong Yan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Regional Development ◽

Ecological Footprint ◽

Water Footprint ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Evaluation Framework ◽

Central China ◽

Ecological Compensation ◽

Carbon Footprints ◽

Ecological Footprints

Abstract This study proposes water–carbon–ecological footprints to form footprint family indicators for identifying the ecological compensation and regional development equilibrium in the Triangle of Central China (TOCC). The occupation of natural capital stock and flow consumption can be illustrated through a three-dimensional ecological footprint model, and Gini coefficient is integrated into the evaluation framework for fairness measurement from various aspects. Quantificational ecological compensation standards can be given with concerns of ecological resource conversion efficiency and willingness to pay indicators. Results reveal that there exit rising trends in ecological and carbon footprints in the TOCC from 2000 to 2015, while its water footprint presents a fluctuating trend. A majority of average Gini coefficients exceed the warning value (i.e., 0.4) under different footprints, implying a relatively poor overall fairness of regional development. In terms of water footprint, the relatively higher compensation expenses exist in Jingmen, Xiangtan, and Yichun, while Yichang, Zhuzhou, and Fuzhou have higher received compensation values as compared with other cities. When it comes to carbon footprint, Wuhan, Loudi, and Xinyu should pay higher compensation expenses due to their overuse of biological resources. The highest amounts of compensation expense appear in Nanchang and Wuhan from the perspective of ecological footprint.

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Editorial special issue natural capital accounting: The content, the context, and the framework

Ecosystem Services ◽

10.1016/j.ecoser.2021.101347 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 101347

Author(s):

Alessandra La Notte ◽

Sara Vallecillo ◽

Joachim Maes ◽

Carl D. Shapiro ◽

Kenneth J. Bagstad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Capital ◽

Special Issue ◽

Editorial Special Issue ◽

Natural Capital Accounting

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Natural Capital Accounting for Organizations � Specification

10.3403/30401243u ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

Natural Capital ◽

Natural Capital Accounting

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Advancing environmental-economic accounting in the context of the system of economic statistics

Statistical Journal of the IAOS ◽

10.3233/sji-200707 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 629-645

Author(s):

Carl Obst ◽

Alessandra Alfieri ◽

Bert Kroese

Keyword(s):

Environmental Economic ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Economic Statistics ◽

The World ◽

Stocks And Flows ◽

Natural Capital Accounting ◽

Ongoing Development ◽

Beyond Gdp ◽

Clear Support

Natural capital and its increasing scarcity have been at the heart of concerns over sustainability for many decades. This paper highlights the significant advances in accounting for the stocks and flows of natural capital that have taken place in the statistical community through the ongoing development and implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). Through description of the history and key components of the SEEA and through presentation of various examples of accounting from around the world, this paper demonstrates not only the theoretical advances but also the feasibility and relevance of SEEA based accounts to policy making. The increasing recognition of the threats of climate change and the importance of halting biodiversity loss and maintaining healthy ecosystems which provide essential contributions to people, make the implementation of the SEEA extremely timely and relevant in supporting policies that take into account the environment. There is now clear support from the official statistics community and a clear role for national statistical offices in using the SEEA to go “beyond GDP”. We can no longer afford to ignore our dependence on the environment, our natural capital. Accounting for it is part of the pathway forward.

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Temporal-Spatial Evolution of the Urban Ecological Footprint Based on Net Primary Productivity: A Case Study of Xuzhou Central Area, China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11010199 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 199 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yao Lu ◽

Xiaoshun Li ◽

Heng Ni ◽

Xin Chen ◽

Chuyu Xia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecological Footprint ◽

Net Primary Productivity ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Net Primary Production ◽

Central Area ◽

Human Occupation ◽

Ecological Capacity ◽

Xuzhou City ◽

Footprint Analysis ◽

Per Capita

The urbanization process all over the world has caused serious ecological and environmental problems which have recently become a focus for study. Ecological footprint analysis, which is widely used to assess the sustainability of regional development, can quantitatively measure the human occupation of natural capital. In this study, the ecological footprint based on net primary production (EF-NPP) and MODIS data were used to measure the ecological footprint in Xuzhou central area from 2005 to 2014. The results showed that from 2005 to 2014, the per capita ecological footprint increased from 1.06 to 1.17 hm2/person; the per capita ecological capacity decreased from 0.10 to 0.09 hm2/person; the per capita ecological deficit increased from −0.96 to −1.09 hm2/person; and the ecological pressure index increased from 6.87 to 11.97. The composition of the ecological footprint showed that grassland contributed most to the ecological footprint and deficit, and cultivated land contributed most to the ecological capacity. The spatial distribution of the ecological footprint changed significantly, especially in the expansion of the area of lower value. The ecological capacity and deficit changed little. The ecological situation in Xuzhou central area was unbalanced. Based on this study, Xuzhou city was recommended to control the increase of the ecological footprint, improve the ecological capacity and balance the ecological pattern for sustainable development.

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