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

Compiling climate change indicators: an accounting approach(e-Learning course)
6 January-12 February 2021
GuidelineI.

OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Its impacts on well-being are
far reaching, including impacts on health and the economy. Humans have contributed toclimate change largely through economic activities which are intrinsically linked to climatechange. Our supply and use of energy for example has led to increased emissions ofgreenhouse gases which have resulted in global warming. A better understanding of therelationship between the economy and climate change through the compilation of relevant
indicators is key to mitigating and adapting to climate change.
This course will focus on climate change indicators that can be compiled from environmental
economic accounts. After a brief overview of climate change and, relevant polices andmultilateral agreements, participants will learn how to compile various indicators that informclimate change. The focus of the course is on better understanding the relationship between
climate change and economic activity. And the statistical framework that provides theconcepts, definitions and methodology for measuring this relationship is the System ofEnvironmental Economic Accounting. In particular, participants will learn about physicalsupply and use tables for energy and air emissions, and indicators that can be compiled fromthese accounts. Other topics to be discussed include transaction accounts which can be used
to derived expenditure type indicators such those on taxes on energy and pollution. Furtherdetails on course content follow below.
II.

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

The target audience are officials in national statistical offices, line ministries (especially ministries ofenergy, natural resources and environment) and other institutions who are working on climate change
related issues. The course can also be useful to a wider audience who is interested to learn more aboutclimate change.
III.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, participants will be expected to:•learn about climate change and relevant policy initiatives1•••IV.

learn about indicators that inform climate change
understand how the compilation of energy, air emission and other accounts can be used tocompile climate change indicators
understand the differences between air emission inventories and accounts.

COURSE DESIGN AND CONTENT

Each module consists of slides with explanations. After all modules have been completed, participants
will be required to complete a final test that will cover all modules. The modules are expected to takea maximum of 6 hours to complete. Participants are also expected to attend two webinars. Thewebinars will provide an overview of the course topics and allow for 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 theirviews/comments/questions.
OutlineModuleCoverage

1. Demand for Climate ChangeIndicators - the PolicyContext••••

Climate Change and Driving Forces-Pressures-StateImpact-Response (DPSIR) Framework
The global policy context
Climate change policies and indicators
Summary and outlook

2. Introduction to SEEA
Central Framework andEnergy Accounts•••

System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA)
SEEA-Energy
Energy related climate change indicators

3. Air Emission Accounts Introduction andcompilation•••

Air Emissions
System of Environmental Economic Accounting: Airemission accounts
Compiling air emission accounts•••

Air emission accounts
Relationship between inventories and accounts
Air emission related indicators••••

Introduction
SEEA land accounts
SEEA water accounts
Transactions accounting••

The 8 steps to realize a national indicator setSummary

4. Air Emission Accounts –Indicators and bridge tables
5. Land, water and otheraccounts

6. Realizing a national
indicator set2V.

EVALUATION

Participants must receive a 70% or higher in the test at the end of this course.
Participants will be given 60 minutes to complete the test. They may take the exam up to three times
and retain their best score. Participants may not work together on the test. The course facilitator
reserves the right to deny course certificates to participants suspected of cheating on the test. The
supervisor is expected to ensure that the test of the course 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 climate change indicators discussed in thecourse. Further details 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.

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