Natural capital accounting for the sustainable development goals:

Natural Capital Accounting, or environmental-economic accounting, is a tool that can help public and private actors to gain an understanding of the interaction between the economy and the environment. It can be used to measure the state of ecosystems, flows of ecosystem services as well as changes in stocks and flows of natural resources in relation to economic changes. The natural capital accounts (NCAs) comprise a system of accounts that include supply and use tables, functional accounts (e.g. environmental protection expenditure accounts) and asset accounts for natural resources. Accounts may be compiled in both physical and monetary terms. This report, provides a brief overview of current and potential uses of NCAs in national policy processes for the SDGs. Natural capital accounting in itself does not create mechanisms to achieve the SDGs.