Environmental subsidies: documentation of statistics

Data description (SIMS 3.1)

The statistics on environmental subsidies describe the allocation and amount of environmental subsidies and other transfers paid by the state of Finland and foreign countries by sector and industry. Transfers are classified according to measures describing environmental protection and resource management activities.

Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)

Environment

The concept of environment refers to the physical, social and cultural factors that are present in the natural or built environment and with which humans have an interactive relationship. The environment is perceived above all as the human living environment on the state and quality of which human activity has a positive or negative impact.

Environmental protection

Measures taken by an enterprise whose primary aim is to collect, process, reduce, prevent or eliminate the emissions, waste or other environmental hazards caused by its activity.

Environmental subsidy

An environmental subsidy is a subsidy paid by the public sector to help economic actors switch to activities that are less environmentally damaging or that regulate natural resources. The definition of an environmental subsidy is based on the above-mentioned objective and on the classifications of environmental activities in environmental and economic accounting. Environmental and economic accounting defines subsidies more widely than national accounts, because in addition to subsidies on production, capital transfers and other current transfers are included.

Production based on saving natural resources

Production based on saving natural resources may include products, technologies or techniques, or services which focus on the saving of natural resources and their effective use either in the production process or utilisation process. Such production may consist of, or be connected to, activity which involves measuring, monitoring, prevention, reduction of use, re-use, recycling, repair, restoration, research, development or awareness raising.

System of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA)

The System of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA) is a systematic description of the relationship between the environment and the economy. The accounts comprise of accounts and balances that describe the use volumes of natural resources, the loading caused by the use of natural resources, and the economy and business activity of environmental protection. The statistics of the System of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting are compiled in the framework of national accounts in compliance with their key characteristics, such as the industrial classification and the classification of sectors and the domicile principle of economic units.

Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)

Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)

Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)

User access (SIMS 8.3)

Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)