Water accounting to support integrated policy assessment and formulation

In the framework of the Mediterranean Water and Environment Support project, Eric MINO UT-SEMIDE director is coordinating the first WES regional training on Water Accounting that took place online from 12 to 26 October. About 50 representatives from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Palestine took part in the training. The implementation of the UN System for Environmental Economic Accounting for Water (SEEA-W) was introduced with case studies on its implementation, indicators development (e.g. SDG reporting) and its benefits for integrated policy assessment and formulation, in particular when linked with the broader framework of Natural Capital Accounting or the Experimental Ecosystem accounting. In Europe physical asset accounts and flow accounts at the river basin level have been implemented by the European Environment Agency. To become operational, it requires a interinstitutional team and the support of IT tools such as a National Water Information System, enabling yearly computation of these accounts, derived indicators (e.g. water exploitation index, water reuse, pricing and cost recovery) and cross-sectoral assessment (e.g. water, energy, agriculture, ecosystems). The Mediterranean Water Knowledge Platform could play a signficant role to foster such developments among UfM countries. A recent report of the European Courts of Auditors highlighted the usefulness of Environmental-Economic Accounting for policymakers and the urgent need improve them. To this end the European Commission will propose a European directive on ecosystem accounting.