Scottish Natural Capital Accounts: 2023

8. Asset values

Asset values of natural resources measure the long-term potential (stock) of that resource to provide goods and services to people.

The total asset value for all ecosystem services we can currently value in Scotland is an estimated £230 billion in 2019, which was 13% of the total UK asset value.

Scotland's contributions to the UK asset value are greatest for oil and gas (98%), fish capture (79%), timber (63%), and renewable energy (56%).

Asset values for all services, Scotland and the rest of the UK, £ million (2021 prices), 2019

Sources: Scotland natural capital accounts from the Office for National Statistics

Scotland's oil and gas deposits are the largest component of its total natural asset valuation, some 33% in 2019. This is followed by tourism and recreation (25%) and health benefits from recreation (22%). These top three services combined account for 80% of Scotland's total asset value.

The oil and gas asset value exceeding that of the cultural services is a notable result. Comparatively, the cultural services have the greatest asset value within the England and UK accounts. This demonstrates the size and importance of fossil fuel resources to Scotland's overall natural capital asset value.