In This Context, National Accounts Adjustedfor the Costs Ofdepletion and Degradation Ofnatural

Mexico (mx)

(2009)[1]

2.2.2.2.Contributionof biodiversity
Over the past decadeit became necessary toconsiderecologicalaccountsof accountingsystemsandthe ideahas gained groundthat the rateof growth ofgrossdomestic productis necessarilyrelated to the conservationof ecosystemsand biodiversity.

In this context, national accounts adjustedfor the costs ofdepletion and degradation ofnatural resources usedin production processesup the System ofEconomic and Ecological Accountsof Mexico (SCEEM), a project of satellite accountsdevelopedby INEGI.The statistical seriesare divided intofive sections:

•Global supply and demandof goods andservices:that basedon the conceptual frameworkof the System ofNational Accountsof Mexico,includes comprehensive dataof Gross Domestic Product(GDP) and deductthe depreciationof ecosystemsand biodiversity, and their physicalbalances(mainlyforests, oiland water)and the flow ofairpollutantsand discharged toreceiving waterbodiesand soil.

•Production byeconomic activitytoeconomicproduction data, from asupplybase,to whichmonetary valuesare derivedaccording to somekey productionactivities, as the totaleconomic uses, services and environmental protectionenvironmental uses(depletion and degradation costs).

•balancesheetsfor assetsproduced and notproduced, includinginformation about the valuesof produced assets(capital goodson whichrightsare enforced by institutionalunitsownedindividually or collectively), and non-produced (values capital goods thatare not from aproduction processthat isnatural,but usedin production).

•Net Domestic Product generated and economic assets used in economic activities by sector: that is the variations present values Net Domestic Product (PINE), which only includes the depletion of ecosystem and biodiversity (PINE1), and also includes environmental degradation (PINE2). We also consider the economic value of assets used, ie, capital (CAP), which comprises only produced assets, and capital (CAP1), which also includes non-produced economic assets.

•Comparison of cost sector, that provides information on the costs of depletion and degradation of ecosystems and biodiversity, which are generated from the production processes of the different sectors where it divides productive activity. Also, data are given on environmental protection expenditures, considering current and capital expenditures.

The ultimate goalisfocused on obtainingtheEcologicalNet Domestic Product(PINE), the main indicator ofintegrated environmental and economicaccounting. Insynthetic form,is obtained bydeductingPINEGross Domestic Product(GDP) two types of costs:fixedcapital consumptionandimputed costsforenvironmental uses, including those causedby the depletionof ecosystemand biodiversity, andby environmental degradation(available at:

While progressis considerable,techniquesare neededto assessecosystem services, social or economic values inthe long term,coupledwith the designand the introductionof fiscal instrumentsor otherincentivesschemes, so as tosustainthe provision of incentivesappropriate to safeguardbiodiversity and otherecosystem servicespartners.In addition tothis, it isnecessary to estimatethe economic coststhat will impactecosystem services, being affected by human activitiesin different decades.

[1] Mexico (2009). Cuarto Informe Nacional de México al Convenio sobre Diversidad Biológica (CDB), Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Junio 2009, 194 pp.