OECD PROGRAMME
ON
MATERIAL FLOWS AND RESOURCE
PRODUCTIVITY
Meeting of the London Group on Environmental Accounting
Meeting of the UN Committee of Experts on Environmental Economic
Accounting
June 2006, New York
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
Mandate and purpose

Implementing the OECD Council Recommendation
(April 2004)

Responding to requests by G8 Heads of State and
Government (Evian, June 2003; Sea Island, June 2004; 3R initiative,
Japan)

Supporting OECD policy analysis and evaluation
Foundations


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OECD Seminar in 2000
Member countries initiatives
International work: Eurostat guide; SEEA; research
work
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
Co-operation and co-ordination

Within OECD
–
–
–
–
Environment Directorate
Horizontal programme on Sustainable Development
Statistics Directorate (accounting frameworks for SD statistics)
Science, Technology & Industry Directorate (I-O analysis &
globalisation)

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European Union: Eurostat and TF-MFA, EEA, DG ENV
United Nations: UNSD and UNCEEA; UNEP
Other: London Group; IWG Environment Statistics;
Wuppertal Institut, IFF Vienna, WRI
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
Main outputs
1- Brochure on MFA
2- Guidance on methodological
and measurement issues
3- Guidance on the
interpretation and use of MF
and RP indicators
4- Measured indicators – pilot
data set
5- Overall report on MF in
OECD countries and beyond
Guidance manual
“Measuring material
flows and resource
productivity”
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
Guidance manual - Coverage and structure

Part I: Overall framework for material flow analysis
– Broad coverage of MFA tools
– Clear articulation of purposes/uses of MFA tools
– Links to policy questions and other measurement tools
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Part II: Material flow accounts
– Concepts, definitions, classifications
– Types of accounts
– Methodological issues
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Part III: Material flow and resource productivity indicators
– Purposes, definitions, selection criteria, etc.
– Interpretation and use
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Part IV: Developing MF accounts – implementation guide
– Modular structure: menu of options based on decision tree
including simplified, didactic part
– To promote harmonised implementation
– To be applied by countries according to own needs & context
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
What do we mean by “materials”?
Volume of flow (in tonnes)
Ecosystem inputs
Water
Flows do not exist
Total material
throughput
Natural resources
Sand & gravel
Carbon
Products
Fossil fuels
Timber
Paper
Residuals
Nutrients
Steel
Aluminium
Fertiliser
PVC
Solvents
Heavy metals
Pesticides
Flows are of minor interest
Hazardous
chemicals
Potential specific environmental impact
(per tonne of material)
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
What do we mean by “materials”?
Volume of flow (in tonnes)
Overall aggregates
Water
Flows do not exist
Total material
throughput
Bulk flows
Sand & gravel
Carbon
Fossil fuels
Timber
Paper
Nutrients
Industrial
materials
Steel
Aluminium
Fertiliser
PVC
Solvents
Substances
Heavy metals
Pesticides
Flows are of minor interest
Hazardous
chemicals
Potential specific environmental impact
(per tonne of material)
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
The MFA family of tools
Its many
tools
can be
These
two different
dimensions
identify
a space
characterised
where all MFAaccording
tools can to
be their
placed
position with respect to two policyThe further from the origin, the
relevant kinds of dimensions:
narrower the coverage, in terms of
Ecological:and
level
substances
/orofofdetail
economic
related to physio-chemical
activities
characteristics
Let us try and place the most common
and somehow
of of
Economic:
level codified
of detail kinds
in terms
partitionapplications
of human activities
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
The tool provides
complete
coverage of the
economy
The tool
provides
complete
coverage of the
substances
The tool only provides information on
economy-nature exchanges
The tool also provides information on
internal flows of the economy
The tool also provides information on
internal flows of the economy and of
nature
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
Physical flow
accounts for
water
NAMEA-type table forSFA
Air emissions
Economy-wide
MFA
NAMEA-type table for
Energy carriers use
Business level
MFA
LCA
PIOTs and other
flow accounts for
individual materials’
NAMEA-type table
Waste
Aggregated PIOT
The tool provides
complete
coverage of the
economy
The tool
provides
complete
coverage of the
substances
The tool only provides information
on economy-nature exchanges
The tool also provides information
on internal flows of the economy
The tool also provides
information on internal flows of
the economy and of nature
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
Approach

Core work: work in areas of common relevance where
progress can be best obtained through joint efforts in
the OECD and in member countries as a group.
Priority given to areas where results can be obtained
over a period of two to three years

Additional more detailed work: by countries
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
Physical flow
accounts for
water
NAMEA-type table forSFA
Air emissions
Economy-wide
MFA
NAMEA-type table for
Energy carriers use
Business level
MFA
LCA
PIOTs and other
flow accounts for
individual materials’
NAMEA-type table
Waste
Aggregated PIOT
The tool provides
complete
coverage of the
economy
The tool
provides
complete
coverage of the
substances
The tool only provides information
on economy-nature exchanges
The tool also provides information
on internal flows of the economy
The tool also provides
information on internal flows of
the economy and of nature
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
One of the areas where a common methodological ground
is already present – so that results can be obtained in the
short/medium term - is Economy-wide MFA.
The following are among the issues that can be addressed,
also in view of the SEEA revision process:
 Terminology:
– “economy-wide”
– “materials”
System boundaries for biomasses
 Optimal aggregation level for compilation and for
presentation

– by material
– by economic activity

Indirect flows
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OECD work on Material Flows and Resource Productivity
Guidance manual – Main timelines
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Expert consultation on drafts (Parts I-III): June-July 2006
Preparation of revised drafts: July-August 2006
Formal consultation with OECD member countries:
September 2006
 Meeting of the Working Group on Environmental
Information and Outlooks (WGEIO): 11-13 October 2006
Final revision: October-November 2006
Editing and release: end 2006-early 2007
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