Environmental surveys deal with such environmental burdens as waste and both air and water pollution. Environmental statistics reflect, for instance, the extent to which water resources are used or waste is produced and recovered. In addition, the environmental protection costs incurred by enterprises and local units are determined. Furthermore, information is collected on environmental investments, for instance, aimed at protecting the climate or using renewable energy sources.

What role does the environment play for the economy and how does economic activity affect the environment? Environmental-economic accounting deals with these interrelations between the economy and the environment and, in this context, describes the following three components: environmental burdens, state of the environment, and environmental investments. The unit of environmental-economic accounting publishes a biennial Indicator Report which documents the extent to which the objectives of the Federal Government’s strategy for sustainable development are achieved.