The book considers the development of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) that enables analysis of the interaction between the economy and the environment at different levels of territorial organization. It provides the philosophical and methodological framework for the SEEA establishment and development; shows the essence of the SEEA, including its origins, its place and role compared to other information systems, its institutional and organizational specifics; describes the experience of implementing the SEEA provisions in Russia.
The book also provides a number of examples demonstrating the effect that the results of assessment of environmental resources and ecosystem services have on addressing complex issues of resource management and strategic planning of territorial development and describes the SEEA development paths. It is aimed at professionals from a wide range of backgrounds interested in environmental management and environmental protection.
The key problem of environmental and economic measurements is that of measuring the sustainability of the use of natural resources. The authors proceed from the fact that the modern theory of sustainable development constitutes the most developed and acceptable methodological basis for preventing a global environmental disaster. Today, the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) provides the best way of measuring the key interactions between the economy and the environment.
In conclusion, the existing methodology of environmental-economic accounting constitutes quite an efficient platform for approximation of different approaches, emphasizing their complementarity. The book shows the key areas of this synthesis: 1) humanization of ecosystem service estimates; 2) establishment of additional socio-cultural measurements for understanding, implementing the results and developing recommendations for institutional transformations.
