UNITED NATIONSECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFICSTATISTICAL INSTITUTE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (SIAP)

Measuring material flows in the SDGs
(e-Learning course)
7 March – 1 April 2022
GuidelineI.

OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE

Sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and increased resource efficiency are priorities formany countries. These linked priorities are also reflected in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) which call for sustainable management and efficient use of naturalresources. Data on economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) are necessary to inform policies
not only for the management of natural resources and waste, but also policies related to circular
economy, resource use and ecosystems. This course focuses on economy-wide material flow
accounts which are part of the System for Environmental-Economic Accounting-Central Framework(SEEA-CF).
II.

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

The target audience are officials in national statistical offices, line ministries (especially ministries ofenvironment) and other institutions who are working on material flows. The course can also be useful
to a wider audience who is interested in learning more about material flows.
III.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, participants will be expected to:



IV.

Discuss the importance of economy-wide material flow accounting to monitoring theprogress towards the SDGs and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development
Describe key concepts associated with material flow accounts
Outline the MFA accounting modules, typology of flows and indicators associated with theconceptual framework
Explain the methodologies for the SDG indicators 8.4.1/12.2/1 and 8.4.2/12.2.2 andlimitations in their computationCOURSE DESIGN AND CONTENT

The course is comprised of a self-paced online module and webinars. The self-paced online module
is expected to take about 4 hours to complete. The webinars will provide an overview of the course1topics and allow participants to ask questions. Furthermore, participants are encouraged to actively
participate in the online forum of the course. Topics for discussion will be posted on a regular basis,and participants are invited to share their views/comments/questions.
The course will be conducted in English.
OutlineCoverage of self-paced online modules




V.

What are material flow accounts?
EW-MFA conceptual framework
Indicators 8.4.1/12.2.1 – material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint
per unit of GDP (methodology, data reporting, case studies)
Indicators 8.4.2/12.2.2 – domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption percapita, and domestic material consumption per unit of GDP (methodology, data reporting, casestudies)
Indicator 12.5.1 – national recycling rate
Applications to the SDGs
Case studies

EVALUATION

Participants must receive 70% or higher in the test at the end of this course.
Participants may take the exam up to three times and retain their best score. Participants may notwork together on the test. The course facilitator reserves the right to deny course certificates toparticipants suspected of cheating on the test. The supervisor is expected to ensure the test is taken in
his/her presence.
VI.

FOLLOW-UP PHASE

Following the completion of the training and depending on resource availability, in-kind support will
be made available to countries interested in compiling material flow accounts and indicators. Furtherdetails on the follow-up phase will be provided during the course.

VII.

SOURCE MATERIAL

This course draws upon various sources, including international statistical standards and case studies
from national statistical offices.

2