IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecolec/v61y2007i4p600-610.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

From natural resources and environmental accounting to construction of indicators for sustainable development

Author

Listed:
  • Alfsen, Knut H.
  • Greaker, Mads

Abstract

Norway has a long history in trying to develop management tools for sustainable development. From the early development of natural resources accounts in the 1980's, through discussions of the usefulness of indices like "green GDP" to efforts of developing sustainable development indicators, experiences have been gained. The paper seeks to both describe the landscape and discussions associated with the key terms, and to communicate some lessons drawn from the Norwegian experiences. The conclusion focuses on the fact that whatever information is collected and organised to support the relevant decision-making processes, the final outcome should always be judged in terms of its impacts on policy processes. Thus, we issue a warning against large-scale development of information systems, without due regard to the final utilisation of the output.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Alfsen, Knut H. & Greaker, Mads, 2007. "From natural resources and environmental accounting to construction of indicators for sustainable development," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(4), pages 600-610, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:61:y:2007:i:4:p:600-610
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921-8009(06)00451-4
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    2. Asbjørn Aaheim & Karine Nyborg, 1995. "On The Interpretation And Applicability Of A “Green National Product”," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 41(1), pages 57-71, March.
    3. William D. Nordhaus & James Tobin, 1973. "Is Growth Obsolete?," NBER Chapters, in: The Measurement of Economic and Social Performance, pages 509-564, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Knut Alfsen & Hans Sæbø, 1993. "Environmental quality indicators: Background, principles and examples from Norway," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 3(5), pages 415-435, October.
    5. Annegrete Bruvoll & Karin Ibenholt, 1996. "Future Waste Generation - Forecasts Based on a Macroeconomic Model," Discussion Papers 175, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    6. World Bank, 2005. "Where is the Wealth of Nations? Measuring Capital for the 21st Century," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7505.
    7. Julie L. Hass & Frode Brunvoll & Henning Hoie, 2002. "Overview of Sustainable Development Indicators used by National and International Agencies," OECD Statistics Working Papers 2002/2, OECD Publishing.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Greaker, Mads & Stoknes, Per Espen & Alfsen, Knut H. & Ericson, Torgeir, 2013. "A Kantian approach to sustainable development indicators for climate change," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 10-18.
    2. Zohreh Sadeghi & Reza Farzipoor Saen & Mahdi Moradzadehfard, 2022. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: Developing a network data envelopment analysis model for appraising sustainable supply chains: a sustainability accounting approach," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 809-824, December.
    3. Jendrzejewski, Błażej, 2020. "Bioeconomic modelling – An application of environmentally adjusted economic accounts and the computable general equilibrium model," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Ibsa Mussa & Awel Feku & Mohammed Mussa, 2018. "Environmental Accounting and Auditing and Eco mark," Current Investigations in Agriculture and Current Research, Lupine Publishers, LLC, vol. 5(3), pages 660-662, November.
    5. Campos, Pablo & Álvarez, Alejandro & Mesa, Bruno & Oviedo, José L. & Caparrós, Alejandro, 2021. "Linking standard Economic Account for Forestry and ecosystem accounting: Total forest incomes and environmental assets in publicly-owned conifer farms in Andalusia-Spain," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    6. Mariana MAN & Bogdan RAVAS & Maria MACRIS, 2012. "Environment Costs: Structure And Acknowledgement. Their Dynamics In Romania After The Integration Within The European Union," Internal Auditing and Risk Management, Athenaeum University of Bucharest, vol. 2(26), pages 62-85, June.
    7. Campos, Pablo & Mesa, Bruno & Álvarez, Alejandro & Oviedo, José L. & Caparrós, Alejandro, 2022. "Towards measuring environmental income through a refined United Nations SEEA EA: Application to publicly-owned, protected, pine-forest-farm case studies in Andalusia, Spain," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    8. Shoeib Faraji Abdolmaleki & Danial Esfandiary Abdolmaleki & Pastora M. Bello Bugallo, 2023. "Finding Sustainable Countries in Renewable Energy Sector: A Case Study for an EU Energy System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, June.
    9. Jian Zhang & Guishan Yang & Lijie Pu & Buzhuo Peng, 2014. "Trends and Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Sustainability in Eastern Anhui Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(12), pages 1-17, November.
    10. Dovern, Jonas & Rickels, Wilfried & Quaas, Martin F., 2012. "Nachhaltigkeitspotenzial deutscher Städte," Kiel Policy Brief 50, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    11. Guangdong Wu & Guofeng Qiang & Jian Zuo & Xianbo Zhao & Ruidong Chang, 2018. "What are the Key Indicators of Mega Sustainable Construction Projects? —A Stakeholder-Network Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-18, August.
    12. Kristine Grimsrud & Lars Lindholt & Mads Greaker, 2015. "Resource Rent in Norwegian Fisheries. Trends and policies," Discussion Papers 827, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    13. Grace Nishimwe & Didier Milindi Rugema & Claudine Uwera & Cor Graveland & Jesper Stage & Swaib Munyawera & Gabriel Ngabirame, 2020. "Natural Capital Accounting for Land in Rwanda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-25, June.
    14. Leontina Pavaloaia, 2012. "Overview of the Practical and Theoretical Approaches to the Estimation of Mineral Resources. A Financial Perspective," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 5(5), pages 104-117, October.
    15. Visbeck, Martin & Kronfeld-Goharani, Ulrike & Neumann, Barbara & Rickels, Wilfried & Schmidt, Jörn & van Doorn, Erik, 2013. "Establishing a sustainable development goal for oceans and coasts to face the challenges of our future ocean," Kiel Working Papers 1847, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    16. Alvarez Etxeberria, Igor & Garayar, Ainhoa & Calvo Sánchez, José Antonio, 2015. "Development of sustainability reports for farming operations in the Basque Country using the Delphi method," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 44-54.
    17. Viktor Pirmana & Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana & Rutger Hoekstra & Arnold Tukker, 2019. "Implementation Barriers for a System of Environmental-Economic Accounting in Developing Countries and Its Implications for Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-35, November.
    18. Samakovlis, Eva, 2008. "How are Green National Accounts Produced in Practice?," Working Papers 105, National Institute of Economic Research.
    19. Visbeck, Martin & Kronfeld-Goharani, Ulrike & Neumann, Barbara & Rickels, Wilfried & Schmidt, Jörn & van Doorn, Erik & Matz-Lück, Nele & Ott, Konrad & Quaas, Martin F., 2014. "Securing blue wealth: The need for a special sustainable development goal for the ocean and coasts," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 184-191.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hoff, Jens V. & Rasmussen, Martin M.B. & Sørensen, Peter Birch, 2021. "Barriers and opportunities in developing and implementing a Green GDP," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    2. Carl Obst & Lars Hein & Bram Edens, 2016. "National Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Assets and Their Services," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 64(1), pages 1-23, May.
    3. Kenneth Kuttner & Adam Posen, 2011. "How Flexible Can Inflation Targeting Be and Still Work?," Department of Economics Working Papers 2011-10, Department of Economics, Williams College, revised Sep 2011.
    4. Simonis, Udo E., 1990. "Beyond growth: elements of sustainable development," EconStor Books, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, number 112255, December.
    5. Céline Antonin & Thomas Melonio & Xavier Timbeau, 2012. "L'epargne nette ré-ajustée," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 0(1), pages 259-286.
    6. Zoltán Nagy & Tekla Sebestyén Szép, 2017. "Sustainable Energy in Post-Communist East- Central Europe - A Comprehensive Study," Theory Methodology Practice (TMP), Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 13(02), pages 59-70.
    7. Valeria Andreoni, 2010. "Material Flows Accounting: A Biophysical Approach to Macroeconomic Sustainability," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 17(1), pages 217-228, May.
    8. Vardon, Michael & Burnett, Peter & Dovers, Stephen, 2016. "The accounting push and the policy pull: balancing environment and economic decisions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 145-152.
    9. Quamrul H. Ashraf & David N. Weil & Joshua Wilde, 2013. "The Effect of Fertility Reduction on Economic Growth," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 39(1), pages 97-130, March.
    10. Xiaorui Wang, 2019. "The National Ecological Accounting and Auditing Scheme as an Instrument of Institutional Reform in China: A Discourse Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(3), pages 587-603, February.
    11. Mohan Munasinghe, 2001. "Sustainomics, Sustainable Development and Climate Change," Energy & Environment, , vol. 12(5-6), pages 393-414, November.
    12. Wackernagel, Mathis & Rees, William E., 1997. "Perceptual and structural barriers to investing in natural capital: Economics from an ecological footprint perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 3-24, January.
    13. Proops, John L. R. & Atkinson, Giles & Schlotheim, Burkhard Frhr. v. & Simon, Sandrine, 1999. "International trade and the sustainability footprint: a practical criterion for its assessment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 75-97, January.
    14. Agnieszka Alińska & Beata Zofia Filipiak & Aneta Kosztowniak, 2018. "The Importance of the Public Sector in Sustainable Development in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-24, September.
    15. Quamrul H. Ashraf & Ashley Lester & David N. Weil, 2009. "When Does Improving Health Raise GDP?," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2008, Volume 23, pages 157-204, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Pulselli, Federico Maria & Ciampalini, Francesca & Tiezzi, Enzo & Zappia, Carlo, 2006. "The index of sustainable economic welfare (ISEW) for a local authority: A case study in Italy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 271-281, November.
    17. Quentin Couix, 2019. "Natural resources in the theory of production: the Georgescu-Roegen/Daly versus Solow/Stiglitz controversy," The European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(6), pages 1341-1378, November.
    18. Laurens Cherchye & & Timo Kuosmanen, 2002. "Benchmarking Sustainable Development: A Synthetic Meta-index Approach," Others 0210001, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 04 Dec 2002.
    19. Colignatus, Thomas, 2008. "On the political economy of environmental survival versus collapse. Clarifying the work done by Tinbergen & Hueting vis-à-vis Weitzman, Nordhaus and Stern," MPRA Paper 10001, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Jeffrey A. Krautkraemer, 1998. "Nonrenewable Resource Scarcity," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 36(4), pages 2065-2107, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N5 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries
    • Q2 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation
    • Q3 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:61:y:2007:i:4:p:600-610. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolecon .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.