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Statistics Canada
Climate change related statistics
from natural capital approach
Meeting on Climate Change Related
Statistics for Producers and Users
Geneva, 19-20 November 2012
Natural assets

Natural assets can be broken into three categories:
•
•
•

Ecosystems: terrestrial, aquatic and the
atmosphere
Land: the “space” in which human and ecological
activities take place
Sub-soil resources: ecological goods such as
minerals, fossil fuels and water
They provide flows of ecological goods and services
Slide 2
Ecological goods and services
(EGS)
Material goods and services that flow from the environment
and are directly consumed by humans, yielding them wellbeing (Boyd and Banzhaf, 2006)

Climate change is predicted to alter the climate by
changing long-term patterns of precipitation,
temperature and wind

The relatively stable and predictable climate that
has prevailed has been one of the most important
ecological services we enjoy
Slide 3
Impacts of climate change on
ecological services

Provision of space may be impacted by flooding of coastal
areas and less productive areas may increase

Flood protection may be disrupted

Protection from vector-borne diseases may be hindered

Transportation service offered by rivers, lakes and oceans
may be disrupted

The recreational opportunities offered by the environment
are likely to be reduced, including aesthetic, cultural or
existence value
Slide 4
Impacts of climate change on
ecological goods

Food production may be reduced if rainfall and temperature
patterns change

Flows of marine resources (seafood, etc.) may be reduced if
ocean temperatures change

Timber and other forest product flows may be reduced

Surface and groundwater flows may be reduced in areas
where rainfall decreases
Slide 5
Categories of statistical
variables suggested by the
natural capital framework
1. Stocks of natural assets that deliver EGS

Function of the size of assets and of their qualitative characteristics
2. Flows between the human sphere and natural assets

Flows of EGS from natural assets to the human sphere

Returns to the environment from human sphere for example of
waste materials and energy

Flows associated with human efforts to reduce the scale of waste
material and energy flows, such as protection expenditure

Flows associated with human efforts to adapt to the loss or
reduction of EGS
Slide 6
The scope of climate change
statistics according to the
natural capital framework

Quantitative and qualitative variables related to the capacity of natural
assets to deliver EGS

Variables measuring flows of EGS from natural assets to the human
sphere

Variables measuring flows from the human sphere to natural assets, e.g.
waste materials and energy

Variables measuring flows related to environmental protection activities

Variables measuring flows related to substitution of other asset
services for natural asset services
Slide 7