Scottish Natural Capital Accounts: 2023

11. Measuring the data

We have used a wide variety of sources for estimates of natural capital in Scotland.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have published a summary of the principles underlying the natural capital accounts.

These accounts have been compiled in line with the guidelines recommended by the United Nations (UN) System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) Central Framework and the UN SEEA Experimental Ecosystem Accounting principles. These are, in turn, part of the wider framework of the system of national accounts. UN guidance continues to develop.

We welcome feedback on this output or any of the approaches taken in it to natural.capital.team@ons.gov.uk.

More detailed quality and methodology information on strengths, limitations, appropriate uses, and how the data were created is available in our accompanying Scotland natural capital accounts methodology: 2023.

This bulletin was produced for the Scottish Government by the Office for National Statistics.