Land Accounts - The Canadian Experience

Transcription

1 Land Accounts - The Canadian Experience Development of a Geospatial database to measure the effect of human activity on the environment

2 Who is doing Land Accounts Statistics Canada (national) Component of the Natural Resource Stock Accounts (NRSA) Canadian System of Environmental and Resource Accounts Natural Resource Stock Accounts Material and Energy Flow Accounts Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts Measure quantities of natural resource stocks Timber and Subsoil Assets Land Account Water Account Canadian System of Environmental and Resource Accounts (CSERA) framework linking the economy and the environment through physical and monetary statistics One main elements of the UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting Satellite account of Canada's System of Macroeconomic Accounts (CSMA) Nova Scotia / Quebec / Ontario / Alberta (provincial) Research and piloting land accounting Ecosystem Goods and Services, measuring natural capital

3 Key land accounts questions What is on Canada s land surface? What and how has the land surface changed over time? (land cover change matrix) Conversion of rural land to urban land (where and how fast?) How much has urban land taken over/replaced prime ag land? How much forest area has been lost (to agriculture, natural disasters) / gained (reforestation) What is the market and non-market monetary value of our land?

4 Five components of Land Accounts Framework foundation accurate spatial framework used for the estimation of all other components of the account Land cover What is physically on the land surface. (wetlands, settlements, deciduous forest, tundra) Land use How the land is used economically (e.g., mining), non-commercial activities (e.g. recreation) Land potential The biophysical properties of land (e.g., climate, geology, topography, soil characteristics) Land value Market and non-market direct and indirect use values (agriculture, recreation, flood control) / non-use values (wildlife habitat)??

5 Spatial database a central data repository for storage and management of data (QGIS, ESRI ArcGIS) Spatial data - objects defined in a geometric space points (heights of elevation), lines (roads), polygons (land parcels) Applies sophisticated rules and relationships Allows for advanced spatial models to be developed (nearest neighbour and overlay analysis) Keeps spatial data within a consistent, accurate database More importantly integrates spatial data with other databases

6 A spatial database for Land Accounts Allows for diverse land related data available to be integrated using established national frameworks and international level standards and classifications Canada Centre for Remote Sensing land cover classification Environment Canada Ecological classification (Ecozone hierarchy) United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) - Land Cover Classification Reconcile existing publicly available spatial datasets into a common spatial framework Land cover, digital elevation, hydrological spatial data, census socio-economic data Develop and apply new ecosystem accounting concepts Land cover ecosystem unit (LCEU) concept from SEEA, Establish valuation methodologies such as benefit transfer or value transfer when site-specific information is not available Development of indicators i.e. Human landscape modification indicator

7 Why - Local patterns impact national outcomes Information on land provides the basis for policy issues: Environmental (role of wetlands in flood mitigation, filtration of polluted water) Economic (contribution of agriculture, forestry contribution to the economy (GDP)) Scientific (role of forest in the carbon cycle, role of energy consumption/production in Greenhouse Gas emissions) As landscapes change due to human activity; so does its ability to provide Ecosystem goods (EGS) (e.g., fish, timber) and services (e.g., provisioning, production of food, regulating, clean air, productive soil, etc) A geospatial database provides a way to track the quantity, quality and value of land and how human activities impact the environment and the economy in a land account

8 Data sources used Dataset Source Type Vintage Canada 250m Land Cover Time Series Natural Resources Canada Land cover CANVEC hydrographic features layer Natural Resources Canada Lakes and rivers 2010 CANVEC wetland features layer Natural Resources Canada Wetlands 2010 Canada Digital Elevation Model Natural Resources Canada Terrain 2000 V2.2 Soil Landscape Units Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Soil characteristics 2000 Canadian Ecodistrict Climate Normal's Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Temperature, precipitation Ecozone hierarchy Environment Canada Terrestrial Ecozone framework 2000 Settlement boundaries Statistics Canada Settlements (built up) 2011 Dissemination blocks Statistics Canada Block framework 2011 Road Network File Statistics Canada Road network 2011 Census of Population Statistics Canada Population and dwelling 2011 Census of Agriculture Statistics Canada Agriculture variables 2011

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11 Results of data integration allows for the creation of a national spatially referenced land account dataset by undertaking a series of overlay analyses and integrating the best possible sources of land data Perform temporal analysis through the integration of socio-economic data from the census of population and agriculture Allow users to query the data at various spatial frameworks (SGC, Ecozone, water sheds) and aggregate that data to a higher reporting unit (i.e. Ecoprovince, CSD, etc.)

12 The benefits and successes Collaboration and cooperation among dataset authors (DFO, EC), community of practice leads to data discovery and identification Updated using a consistent methodology, concepts, classifications and processes (time series analysis) Allows dataset authors to review dataset integration and make recommendations on integrated datasets Cooperation between various data holders leads to discovery and elimination of duplicate or betterment of datasets Create a public land cover dataset to expand knowledge and usability of land statistics Creation of new datasets, indicators and methodologies for land (Statistics Canada census delineation updates for population centres and land valuation for national accounts policy)

13 Important policy issue for land accounts and Canadians Land accounts for policy provides in a logical manner - where, what and why economy impacts on agriculture loss of dependable agricultural land, food production impacts on forest conversion of forest to agriculture / built-up livability and competitiveness of cities population change, costs for public infrastructure, greenness environment impacts on ecosystems/ biodiversity water / air pollution society Socio-economic issues housing / population characteristics, composition employment and job services accessibility, public health issues

14 Policy uses Educates population and creates awareness on public policy issues: the loss of agricultural land to urban Toronto Greenbelt monitors and characterizes how population growth is changing settlement patterns across the country Human Activity Helps in the development of guidelines and policies to protect environmentally sensitive areas from development Wetlands Inputs into ecosystem goods and services policy Provides additional data for national programs involved collecting socio-economic data Statistics Canada census program 28/09/2017

15 Land Accounts and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 SDGs universal, applies to all countries, allows for comparability and reporting When constructing determine if data sources can help with SDG and include into framework Energy / infrastructure land cover, roads, pipelines, etc. Socio-economic area Census data age, sex, income Poverty/education/employment Environment climatic data, forest burns, natural disasters, etc.

16 Lessons learned and things to consider Know your data sources Research datasets and chose best one(s) integration / replacement Get best available data that meets your requirements Strengths / weaknesses of data (measuring what you need) Understand methods and processes used to create data (metadata) Availability of data annual or consistent time period (time series analysis / land cover matrix) Use established and recognized classification system that allows comparison (i.e. SEEA Land cover/use classification) Establish a foundation for reporting framework and spatial extent

17 Lessons learned and things to consider Explore other data sources for more information Collaboration with other data holders, community of best practice Other federal departments (DFO, EC), municipal, provincial, state or private Land Accounts Database Reporting for some land statistics maybe only available at more aggregate reporting units Land cover easily done but need to develop the other components Land potential and land use require new datasets, methodologies and resources Raster data allows for easier processing but not as accurate as vector Raster scale important 1km vs 30m Classification number of classes, comparibility Consider converting raster to vector (more processing / limitations) Additional data usually available in vector format (roads, water features, built-up areas, etc.)

18 Everegreen Forest Deciduous Forest Mixed Forest Disturbance Shrubland Grassland Low Vegetation/Barren Cropland Cropland/Woodland Urban and Built-up Water Snow/ ice Analysis and what can be done with a Land Accounts spatial database Temporal analysis of land cover Annual land cover change matrix Better estimate of changes in forest or agriculture areas (Greenhouse gas estimates) Everegreen Forest 2,455, , ,169 77, , tbd tbd Deciduous Forest 13 31,809 1, tbd tbd Mixed Forest 11,124 2,402 1,084,140 23,526 11, ,495 tbd tbd Disturbance 40, ,374 15,149 15, , tbd tbd 1985 Shrubland 28, ,338 36, , , tbd tbd Grassland , tbd tbd Low Vegetation/Barren 10, ,911 7, ,391, tbd tbd Cropland ,272 3,102 tbd tbd Cropland/Woodland ,326 1, , ,198 tbd tbd Urban and Built-up ,699 tbd Water tbd 1,162,981 tbd Snow/ ice tbd 694,352 Prototype national land indicators Fragmentation of land how has human activity fragmented the land (roads, pipeline/ hydro corridors)recreational values Green space patch size wildlife habitat zones / disruption area and distance between natural landscapes untouched by human activity Better land values for input into national accounts and other industries Canadian Real Estate Board average values (what the value of land is for a given block or area) Insurance purposes areas at risk 2005

19 Finally Think about input/outputs into Land Accounts spatial database rule 80% planning 20% execution Take time to research what is needed and datasets available Provide better tools and base information regarding the land and activities happening on it to develop spatially based policies Use new spatial data developed by public, private and academic organizations to drive policy relevant research

20 Thank you! More information United Nations SEEA land accounts classification - SEEA Central Framework Global Geospatial Information Management - UN-GGIM Statistics Canada Canadian System of Environmental-Economic Accounting - Methodological guide ( X) Ecosystem accounting - Measuring ecosystem goods and services in Canada Human Activity and the Environment - The changing landscape of Canadian metropolitan areas Land cover and land use table (CANSIM ) Analytical articles Human Activity and the Environment ( X) Government of Ontario Land - Ecosystem goods and services 20