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The Environmental Accounts (EA) are a synthesis statistical operation with the general objective of integrating environmental information in the central system of Spanish National Accounts, following the methodology of the United Nations' System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA), which constitutes the conceptual framework of the EA.
They include a group of satellite accounts compiled using accounting formats that are applicable to different sectorial and territorial scopes, with a great amount of physical data. Spanish National Accounts allow expanding the analysis of similar concepts, classifications and regulations without overloading the central system.
It is an essential tool for the analysis of the interrelation between the environment and the economy in general, and specifically, for the assessment of sustainable development through the design and construction of Sustainable Development Indicators, as well as monitoring political actions in terms of national and international environment.
The Air Emissions Accounts collect and present the data regarding the polluting emissions into the atmosphere, in a way that is compatible with the Spanish National Accounts system, registering the emitting agents, broken down by industry and Households sector as final consumers.
Estimates for the Air Emissions Accounts are carried out using the National Air Emissions Inventory, which is compiled by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/calidad-y-evaluacion-ambiental/temas/sistema-espanol-de-inventario-sei-/) . These Inventories use for the calculation of atmospheric pollutants the IPCC and EMEP/EEA guidelines, according to NFR/CRF(Nomenclature for Reporting/Common Reporting Format), which groups emissions into sectors, categories and subcategories.
Air Emissions Accounts are compiled adapting the Inventory data to the classification based on NACE Rev.2 (plus the households sector as final consumers). Most part of inventory categories correspond to the only economic activity registered in a NACE branch, but in some cases emissions shall be divided into several branches (combustion plants, transport and other). Due to the fact that air emissions are distributed by industry, in compliance with the regulations of the Spanish National Accounts system, the emissions caused by secondary and auxiliary activities are grouped with the main activity of the economic units. In the households sector as final consumers, the direct emissions corresponding to their own transport, heating and other emissions of a secondary nature are considered.
The activities and sectors classifications that are used are coherent with the European System of Accounts (ESA)
Producers: The economic activities are classified according to the A*64 classification included in the Commission Regulation (EU) No. 715/2010, of 10 August 2010. The A*64 classification is the result of aggregating the divisions in NACE Rev. 2, which corresponds to CNAE2009 in the case of Spain.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32010R0715:ES:NOT
Final consumers: Resident and non-resident households.
Air Pollutants:
CO2 - Carbon dioxide
N2 O - Nitrous oxide
CH4 - Methane
PFCs - Perfluorinated Compounds
HFCs - Hydrogenfluorocarbon compounds
SF6 - Sulphur hexaflouride
NOx - Nitrogen oxide
NMVOC - Non-methane volatile organic compounds
CO - Carbon monoxide
SOx - Sulphur oxides
NH3 - Ammonia
PM10 - Particulate matter of diameter less than or equal to 10 µm
PM2.5 - Particulate matter of diameter less than or equal to 2.5 µm
Air Emissions Accounts have the same limits as the European System of Accounts (ESA)
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32013R0549:ES:NOT
As the Spanish National Accounts, the Air Emissions Accounts also follow the residence principle. They therefore count air polluting emissions generated by the activities of all resident units, regardless of the geographical location where those emissions actually take place.
These accounts register the flows of gaseous and waste particulate matter in the air that come from the national economy. In reference to these accounts, the term «Air» refers to a component of the environmental system, and the system boundary is the border between the Spanish economy (as part of the economic system) and the air (as part of the environmental system); when the system boundary is crossed, the emitted substances are beyond human control and they become part of the natural cycles of the materials that may have diverse consequences on the environment.
Worldwide coverage of the Air Emissions Accounts and the Emissions Inventory is different due to the framework used in the first, which is the Spanish National Accounts system. This system only considers national economic activities (residence principle) whereas inventories present the emissions of all the sources in the national territory. Moreover, Air Emissions Accounts do not include emissions from non-economic agents (nature) nor the absorption of gases by nature (absorption of CO2). Hence, the emissions included in the Air Emissions Accounts are those generated by national economic activities (resident units), and the emissions of these units abroad, tourists and international transport companies that shall be included in the corresponding industry or in the households as final consumers. The emissions of non-resident units within the national border are excluded.
As they are satellite accounts, the same units as in the Spanish National Accounts are used, that is, the units collected in the European System of Accounts (ESA).
For further information consult ESA:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32013R0549:ES:NOT
Environmental Accounts combine data from several different statistical sources. The concept of statistical population cannot be strictly applied in this context.
Environmental Accounts cover the entire national territory.
The Air Emissions Accounts must be consistent with the Spanish National Accounts. Spanish National Accounts define the national economy as the set of activities and transactions of the resident economic agents that focus on the economic national territory. Some transactions of these units are carried out outside of the national economic territory and other transactions within this territory are carried out by non-resident units. Therefore, in Air Emissions Accounts as well as Spanish National Accounts it is necessary to apply the residence principle. In agreement with this principle, the emissions generated by the units residing outside of the national territory shall be considered inputs of the national economy and the emissions generated by units not residing in the national economic territory shall be excluded from the accounting framework.
Air Emission Accounts are compiled annually.
There is information for the 2008-2021 period, with the results of the year 2022 as early estimates.
Environmental Accounts shall be updated periodically so as to incorporate the appropriate methodological and statistical changes, specially the base changes of the economic accounts.
The results correspond to the 2019 Statistical Review (SEC 2010), following the review of National Accounts.
Tonnes, thousands of tonnes of equivalent CO2, tonnes of equivalent NO2, tonnes of equivalent SO2 and tonnes of equivalent NMVOC.
The accounting period is the natural year.
Data referred to the period: Anual A: 2021
The compilation and dissemination of the data are governed by the Statistical Law No. 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function" of May 9, 1989, and Law No. 4/1990 of June 29 on “National Budget of State for the year 1990" amended by Law No. 13/1996 "Fiscal, administrative and social measures" of December 30, 1996, makes compulsory all statistics included in the National Statistics Plan. The National Statistical Plan 2009-2012 was approved by the Royal Decree 1663/2008. It contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All statistics included in the National Statistics Plan are statistics for state purposes and are obligatory. The National Statistics Plan 2021-2024, approved by Royal Decree 1110/2020, of 15 December, is the Plan currently implemented. This statistical operation has governmental purposes, and it is included in the National Statistics Plan 2021-2024. (Statistics of the State Administration).
European Parliament and Council Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011, of 6 July 2011, regarding the European economic environmental accounts, constitutes the reference framework of common accounting concepts, definitions, classifications and norms intended for the compilation of Environmental Accounts.
This regulation is available in:
https://www.ine.es/normativa/leyes/UE/minine.htm#30084
The first reference year in which results are transmitted is the year in which the mentioned Regulation enters into force, 2011, with a first transmission which includes the data of the series from 2008 and in a period of 21 months since the reference year finishes. In each subsequent transmission of data to the Comission, the Member States will provide annual data for years n-4, n-3, n-2, n-1 and n, n being the reference year.
The Statistical Law No. 12/1989 specifies that the INE cannot publish, or make otherwise available, individual data or statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity. Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society
Environmental Accounts is a statistical operation included in the National Statistics Plan, therefore subject to the Law on the Public Statistical Function of 9 May 1989, hence its data is protected by Statistical Secrecy in all stages of its compilation
https://www.ine.es/dyngs/IOE/en/operacion.htm?id=1259942700133
The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated in the last quarter of each year.
The calendar is disseminated on the INEs Internet website (Publications Calendar)
The data are released simultaneously according to the advance release calendar to all interested parties by issuing the press release. At the same time, the data are posted on the INE's Internet website (www.ine.es/en) almost immediately after the press release is issued. Also some predefined tailor-made requests are sent to registered users. Some users could receive partial information under embargo as it is publicly described in the European Statistics Code of Practice
The data is disseminated annually.
The results of the statistical operations are normally disseminated by using press releases that can be accessed via both the corresponding menu and the Press Releases Section in the web
Environmental Accounts users may access the data regarding Air Emissions Accounts via the INE website
INEbase is the system the INE uses to store statistical information on the Internet. It contains all the information the INE produces in electronic formats. The primary organisation of the information follows the theme-based classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration . The basic unit of INEbase is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to obtaining statistical results on a determined sector or subject based on the individually collected data. Also included in the scope of this definition are synthesis preparation.
Access to tables and results in INEBASE (www.ine.es) / Physical variables and environment / Environmental accounts
http://ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/en/categoria.htm?c=Estadistica_P&cid=1254735976603
Due to the nature of Environmental Accounts, there is no microdata available
The policy of the customised request service is to analyse if the statistical secrecy and significance conditions are met. After this analysis, a viability report is compiled and sent to the petitioner.
The requests will be carried out via the User information area:
The manuals compiled by EUROSTAT, "Manual for Air Emissions Accounts, 2015", and "Compilation Guide for Eurostat's Air Emissions Accounts, 2013" may be consulted in their website in the following link:
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-manuals-and-guidelines/-/KS-GQ-15-009
Fields 10.6 to 17 of this document are the quality report oriented to the user of this operation.
Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT. The ESSCoP is made up of 16 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.
Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT. The ESSCoP is made up of 16 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.
The quality of synthesis statistics such as the environmental accounts, is firstly derived from the multiple sources used. In all of them it has been intended to achieve the most accurate information possible, minimising the different types of error they may be affected by. On the other hand, the decisions of the corresponding regulations are followed when compiling this data.
The Commission (Eurostat) will assess the quality of the transmitted data and within a month after it is received may request additional information from the Member State regarding the data revised, as appropriate (Article 7.4 of European Regulation No. 691/2011) .
In the case of the Air Emissions Accounts, the quality of its estimates depends mainly on the primary data that make up the Emissions Inventory. The estimates of AEA are based on the methodology designed by Eurostat, using the principles, rules and classifications of national accounts, which ensures their internal consistency and with other modules of the environmental accounts (ej:Physical Energy Flows Account), as well as comparability with aggregates of national accounts.
Environmental Accounts allow observing the pressure the economy puts on the environment and studies how to reduce it. They show interactions among the economy, households and environmental factors, and therefore offer more information than the Spanish National Accounts in this field.
As an essential source of environmental data, they are basic for environmental politics decision-making and the development of impact assessment at a national and international level. According to the Sustainable Development principles included in the European Green Deal and other initiatives, as well as the advance towards a low-emissions economy that is efficient in the use of resources, it is becoming more and more necessary to develop and implement a data framework structure that systematically includes the environmental and economic data. Moreover, since they constitute a synthesis statistical operation in the environmental field, they allow identifying gaps and improvements in the Spanish statistical system.
Among the Environmental Accounts users are the following:
• Ministries, Spanish National Central Bank and other public institutions
• Territorial Administrations (Autonomous Communities)
• Researchers and Academic institutions
• Non-profit companies and institutions (Company research services, foundations, associations, etc.), trade unions and employers' organisations.
• Press and specialised media
Similarly, there are foreign institutional users (Eurostat, OECD, United Nations, etc.)
The INE has carried out general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 and it plans to continue doing so every three years. The purpose of these surveys is to find out what users think about the quality of the information of the INE statistics and the extent to which their needs of information are covered. In addition, additional surveys are carried out in order to acknowledge better other fields such as dissemination of the information, quality of some publications...
On the INE website, in its section Methods and Projects / Quality and Code of Practice / INE quality management / User surveys are available surveys conducted to date.(Click next link)
In the User Satisfaction Surveys carried out to date, the Environment sector in which the statistical operation is encompassed is assessed, which can guide as to what the users' opinion is.
Air Emissions Accounts meet the information requirements demanded by the European Parliament and Council Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011, of 6 July 2011, regarding European Environmental Economic Accounts, therefore they are exhaustive.
The rate of compulsory statistical results that are available is of 100% (R1 = 100%)
Environmental Accounts are synthesis statistics, therefore they are affected by sampling errors coming from sources from which information is collected, which are analysed in order to see if they remain within reasonable limits. Non-sampling errors may come from the sources or from the information treatment of this operation (lack of coverage, measurement errors). In summary, direct measurement of accuracy in this case is not applicable.
The main instrument for analysing the accuracy is the analysis of the revisions. The revisions show the degree of proximity between subsequent estimators of the same value, and it is reasonable to assume that the estimators converge on the true value when they are based on better and more reliable data.
See 17.2
Environmental Accounts are synthesis statistics, therefore they are affected by sampling errors coming from sources from which information is collected, which are analysed in order to see if they remain within reasonable limits.
Environmental Accounts are synthesis statistics, therefore non-sampling errors may come from the sources or from the information treatment of this operation (lack of coverage, measurement errors).
Air Emissions Accounts estimates are sent to EUROSTAT within 21 months after the reference year finishes, in compliance with the European Regulation 691/2011 regarding European Environmental Economic Accounts, in which data transmission periods are regulated.
The indicator of the time elapsed between the end of the reference period and dissemination in INEBase is TP1=11 months.
Air Emissions Accounts are revised every year due to the Emissions Inventory is updated for all the years
TP2= N/A
The Environmental Accounts results are published following the INE Structural Statistics Availability Calendar. TP3 = 100%
https://www.ine.es/daco/daco41/calen.htm#temas
The EU Member States use the same methodology for the compilation of estimates, which allows comparability among Air Emissions Accounts estimates.
The basic methodology for the compilation of the estimates has not changed since the first estimates of Emissions Accounts as a pilot study, although the new accounting standard is compatible with the the 2019 Statistical Review (SEC 2010) of National Accounts, having reviewed all the available accounting series.
Therefore, the number of comparable elements of the time series since its last break is 15 (CC2 = 15)
Environmental Accounts are coherent with Spanish National Accounts.
The annual results of the Air Emissions Accounts are coherent among each other, and in relation with the the available annual series
In the 2023 annual Program, the estimate of the necessary budget appropriation to finance this Environmental Accounts operation is 18,51 thousand euros.
There is no burden on respondents, since the information provided by other statistics is used.
The INE of Spain has a policy which regulates the basic aspects of statistical data revision, seeking to ensure process transparency and product quality. This policy is laid out in the document approved by the INE board of directors on 13 March of 2015, which is available on the INE website, in the section "Methods and projects/Quality and Code of Practice/INE’s Quality management/INE’s Revision policy" (link).
This general policy sets the criteria that the different type of revisions should follow: routine revision- it is the case of statistics whose production process includes regular revisions-; more extensive revision- when methodological or basic reference source changes take place-; and exceptional revision- for instance, when an error appears in a published statistic-.
Environmental Accounts data is revised coherently with the data revision scheme of the Annual Spanish National Accounts and Spanish National Inventory System.
The annual publication reviews all the data of the series, to ensure its internal comparability and its coherence with the Emissions Inventory. The revision policy is in accordance with Regulation (EU) 691/2011 on the annual data transmission.
The factors that determine revisions in Air Emissions Accounts estimates are basically the changes in the data of the Annual Spanish National Accounts, the Emissions Inventory updates and the changes made for the improvement of estimation procedures.
RMAR 2008-2021 (Greenhouse gasses)= 0,77%
Since Air Emissions Accounts are synthesis statistics, they integrate and reconcile a great amount of economic and environmental information sources.
Air Emissions Accounts use the following statistical information:
National Statistics Institute:
Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge:
Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Food
Ministry of Public Works Statistics
Ministry for home affairs
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The data is collected annually.
Data collection techniques may vary depending on the type of source, the date in which the data is available, etc.
Generally, the data is sent to the Environmental Accounts Unit by the different units that compile it. However the information can sometimes be obtained directly via the corresponding database.
The base information coming from different statistics undergoes a set of treatments: Outlier identification, error filtering, adjustment to Environmental Accounts stipulations.
The compilation process may be structured in several stages:
1. Updating of base information: Collection of available data
2. Treatment of base information: It undergoes a series of treatments, consisting of outlier identification, error filtering and adjustment to Environmental Accounts stipulations.
3. Breakdown of the data by industry and household sector as final consumers: In order to achieve a more accurate estimate, auxiliary files are used so as to achieve the highest possible breakdown level of the different identifiable components of each of type pollutant.
4. Estimate analysis and revision: The result time series are analysed for each type of pollutant in order to detect possible errors.
5. Preparation of the final result files with the different required formats: sending format to EUROSTAT, and files for dissemination in INEBase (Results, Methodology, Press release)
No seasonal adjustments are carried out.
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