The Integrated system for Natural Capital Accounting (INCA) in Europe: twelve lessons learned from empirical ecosystem service accounting

The Integrated system for Natural Capital Accounting (INCA) was developed and supported by the European Commission to test implement System of integrated Environmental Economic – Ecosystem (SEEA EA). Through compilation nine Services (ES) accounts, INCA can make available any interested ecosystem accountant a number lessons learned. Amongst conceptual learned, we mention: (i) accounting purposes, ES should be clustered according existence (or not) sustainability threshold; (ii) assessment flow results from interaction an potential demand; (iii) demand spatially identified, but overarching environmental target, this is not possible; could mis-match; (iv) because remains unsatisfied; (v) used above its threshold or (vi) part missed; (vii) there cause-and-effect relationship between condition flow; (viii) accounts complement SEEA Central Framework without overlapping double counting. methodological (ix) already exiting assessments do directly provide will likely need some additional processing; (x) cannot defined default as intermediate; (xi) remaining within ecosystems reported final; (xii) undertaken throughout fast track approach more demanding modelling procedures.