In-depth Training on Water Accounts

Water is essential to achieve sustainable development. At a fundamental level, the availability of clean water in and of itself is necessary for our health and overall well-being. Water is also an important input to many economic activities, from the production of food and energy to the manufacturing of computers and cars. High quality and timely statistics on water are need in order to manage our water assets and track water supply and use. This course will focus on water statistics and accounts, as well as some important water aggregates and indicators (including SDGs). The water accounts are based on the System for Environmental-Economic Accounting-Water (SEEA-Water) and the International Recommendations for Water Statistics (IRWS). These two documents support analysis of the role of water within the economy, understanding of the hydrological cycle and valuation of water assets. They are consistent with the SEEA Central Framework and follow a similar accounting structure to the System of National Accounts (SNA).