Classification of natural assets:
implication of the update of the 1993
SNA and possible issues to address
Alessandra Alfieri and Ivo Havinga
London Group
(New York, 19 - 21 June 2006)
1
Overview
• Background
• Definition of assets in 1993 SNA and SEEA
• Changes in the 1993 SNA Rev.1 asset
classification and impacts in the SEEA-2003
• Proposal for aligning the classification of natural
resources in the 1993 SNA Rev.1 with SEEA2003
• Terminology issues
• Presentation issues
2
Background
• 1993 SNA update considered the issue of
classification of assets
• AEG recommended that 1993 SNA and
SEEA-2003 be aligned, in particular for
classification of natural resources
• Requested the editor and UNSD to do it
3
Main changes in the 1993
SNA Rev.1 asset classification
• Replace “tangible non-produced assets” with
“natural resources”
• Replace “intangible non-produced asset” and split
it in “contracts, leases and licenses” and “goodwill
and marketing assets”
• Record “Land improvements” as GFCF of
buildings and structures and not under land
• Align terminology of natural resources with
SEEA-2003
4
Differences in terminology between
1993 SNA Rev.1 and SEEA-2003
• “Natural resources”
• SNA – includes including land
• SEEA – both cultivated assets and
“tangible non-produced assets”, no land
identified separately
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Differences – Mineral and energy
• Terminology
• SNA: “Subsoil”,
• SEEA: “Mineral and energy”
• SNA: “Coal, oil, mineral gas”
• SEEA: “Fossil fuels”
• Definition of reserves
• Suggest to expand asset boundary to probable and
possible?
• Expansion of asset boundary to non-renewable
resources?
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Non-cultivated biological resources
• Terminology
• SNA: Natural forests
• SEEA: Timber
• SNA: Wild stocks of fish and aquatic mammals
• SEEA: Aquatic resources
• Conceptual
• Fish stocks outside the EEZ
• High seas, if country has access rights
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Water resources
• SNA Rev.1: Expansion of asset boundary
• Terminology
• SNA: “Aquifers” , “Other”
• SEEA: “Surface water”, “Ground water”
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Other natural resources
• Terminology
• SNA: Radio spectra + other resources
• SEEA: Atmospheric ecosystem
• Ecosystems
• Should the SNA mention that natural
resources can be classified twice (according
to whether they provide goods “natural
resources” or services “ecosystems”)?
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Differences in presentation
• Order in presentation of natural resources
• SNA: land, subsoil, non-cultivated
biological resources, water, other
• SEEA: Mineral and energy, soil, water,
biological resources, LAND (separate
from natural resources), Ecosystems
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Differences in presentation (2)
• Grouping of produced and non-produced
assets
1993 SNA Rev.1
SEEA-2003
Inventories
Work in progress
Work in progress on cultivated
assets
Plantations
Non-cultivated
Natural forests
Biological resources
Timber resources
Cultivated
Non-cultivated
• The SEEA-2003 does not make explicit the distinction between
fixed asset and inventory
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Why differences in presentation?
• Perspective
• SNA groups the items according to how
to value them
• SEEA groups them according to the
resource
Should SNA and SEEA have the same
presentation in the asset classification?
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Questions to the LG?
Do you agree with:
1. Would you like to see an Annex in the SNA
explaining the difference between SNA and
SEEA asset classification?
2. Dropping the item “recreational land” from both
the SNA and SEEA?
3. Mentioning in the SNA the category ecosystems,
although not in the classification?
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Questions to the LG? (2)
4. Should the SEEA align its classification
with the SNA?
a. In terms of order (land, mineral and
energy, etc. or mineral and energy, land,
etc.)?
b. In terms of grouping (by produced,
non-produced, or by type of resource)?
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