Scottish Natural Capital Accounts: 2023

This report estimates quantity and value of services supplied by Scotland's natural capital.


4. Ecosystem services

Ecosystem services are the contributions of ecosystems to economic and other human activity.

In 2019, the total annual value for the ecosystem services in Scotland that we are currently able to measure was £15 billion, representing 30% of the total UK value. The highest value ecosystem service for 2019 was oil and gas, estimated at £12 billion, 77% of Scotland's annual value.

Where available, estimates are presented between the period of 2003 to 2020. Data coverage constraints in input-output tables for Scotland mean 2019 is currently the latest year for which we can estimate an overall annual value for all services.

Figure 2: Tourism and recreation was the second largest contributor to total annual value of natural capital in 2019, after oil and gas

Bar chart showing tourism and recreation was the second largest contributor to total annual value of natural capital in 2019, after oil and gas.

Ecosystem services for Scotland, £ million (2021 prices), 2019

Notes:

1. The negative value for carbon sequestration is a result of land use emitting more carbon (equivalent) than sequestering

Sources: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, Seafish, Marine and Management Organisation, British Geological Survey, Forest Research and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Contact

Email: natural.capital.team@ons.gov.uk

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