Environmental goods and services sector, activities; national accounts

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Environmental goods and services sector, activities; national accounts
Environmental domains Environmental activities Periods Labour input of employed persons (1 000 years of employment) Output at basic prices (mln euros) Gross value added at basic prices (mln euros)
Environmental domains, total Total sector environment 2001* 117.1 18,261 7,906
Environmental domains, total Total sector environment 2005* 110.5 20,553 9,071
Environmental domains, total Total sector environment 2010* 129.4 27,957 12,416
Environmental domains, total Total sector environment 2015* 135.1 35,719 15,287
Environmental domains, total Total sector environment 2016* 143.1 37,332 16,108
Environmental domains, total Energy systems and energy conservation 2001* 10.9 2,970 974
Environmental domains, total Energy systems and energy conservation 2005* 10.9 3,265 1,008
Environmental domains, total Energy systems and energy conservation 2010* 0.9 49 27
Environmental domains, total Energy systems and energy conservation 2015* 6.8 462 257
Environmental domains, total Energy systems and energy conservation 2016* 6.7 228 127
Environmental domains, total Production of renewable energy 2001* 0.4 94 45
Environmental domains, total Production of renewable energy 2005* 0.8 738 573
Environmental domains, total Production of renewable energy 2010* 1.5 1,507 842
Environmental domains, total Production of renewable energy 2015* 2.0 2,884 1,340
Environmental domains, total Production of renewable energy 2016* 2.1 2,762 1,511
Environmental domains, total Environmental engineering activities. 2001* 2.5 485 150
Environmental domains, total Environmental engineering activities. 2005* 2.0 459 135
Environmental domains, total Environmental engineering activities. 2010* 4.4 1,221 364
Environmental domains, total Environmental engineering activities. 2015* 5.7 1,449 476
Environmental domains, total Environmental engineering activities. 2016* 5.6 1,399 371
Environmental domains, total Environmental consultancy, engineering 2001* 9.9 1,210 480
Environmental domains, total Environmental consultancy, engineering 2005* 10.4 1,391 525
Environmental domains, total Environmental consultancy, engineering 2010* 17.6 3,147 1,489
Environmental domains, total Environmental consultancy, engineering 2015* 15.5 3,308 1,489
Environmental domains, total Environmental consultancy, engineering 2016* 17.7 3,993 1,843
Environmental domains, total Production of industrial envir equipment 2001* 4.2 875 297
Environmental domains, total Production of industrial envir equipment 2005* 3.7 842 260
Environmental domains, total Production of industrial envir equipment 2010* 11.5 3,604 1,028
Environmental domains, total Production of industrial envir equipment 2015* 11.8 5,912 1,567
Environmental domains, total Production of industrial envir equipment 2016* 12.2 5,357 1,503
Environmental domains, total Organic agriculture 2001* 1.6 362 152
Environmental domains, total Organic agriculture 2005* 1.9 396 154
Environmental domains, total Organic agriculture 2010* 2.3 614 217
Environmental domains, total Organic agriculture 2015* 2.6 733 254
Environmental domains, total Organic agriculture 2016* 3.1 812 288
Environmental domains, total Preparation for recycling 2001* 2.8 872 175
Environmental domains, total Preparation for recycling 2005* 3.0 1,305 283
Environmental domains, total Preparation for recycling 2010* 3.2 1,908 336
Environmental domains, total Preparation for recycling 2015* 3.9 2,613 546
Environmental domains, total Preparation for recycling 2016* 4.0 2,790 646
Environmental domains, total Environmental inspection, certification 2001* 0.8 119 66
Environmental domains, total Environmental inspection, certification 2005* 1.4 253 151
Environmental domains, total Environmental inspection, certification 2010* 2.2 351 207
Environmental domains, total Environmental inspection, certification 2015* 2.4 329 194
Environmental domains, total Environmental inspection, certification 2016* 2.5 351 205
Environmental domains, total Education about the environment 2001* 0.6 38 27
Environmental domains, total Education about the environment 2005* 0.5 34 25
Environmental domains, total Education about the environment 2010* 0.4 37 27
Environmental domains, total Education about the environment 2015* 0.6 51 36
Environmental domains, total Education about the environment 2016* 0.6 57 40
Environmental domains, total Ideological environmental organisations 2001* . . .
Environmental domains, total Ideological environmental organisations 2005* . . .
Environmental domains, total Ideological environmental organisations 2010* 3.2 973 346
Environmental domains, total Ideological environmental organisations 2015* 3.3 1,283 441
Environmental domains, total Ideological environmental organisations 2016* 2.5 1,079 396
Environmental domains, total Insulation activities constr. industry 2001* 20.9 1,836 850
Environmental domains, total Insulation activities constr. industry 2005* 12.5 1,219 577
Environmental domains, total Insulation activities constr. industry 2010* 16.7 1,902 867
Environmental domains, total Insulation activities constr. industry 2015* 19.8 2,624 1,237
Environmental domains, total Insulation activities constr. industry 2016* 23.2 3,190 1,514
Environmental domains, total Water quantity man. by Water Authorities 2001* 3.4 574 332
Environmental domains, total Water quantity man. by Water Authorities 2005* 3.8 780 454
Environmental domains, total Water quantity man. by Water Authorities 2010* 3.6 916 496
Environmental domains, total Water quantity man. by Water Authorities 2015* 4.1 1,176 692
Environmental domains, total Water quantity man. by Water Authorities 2016* 4.1 1,251 759
Environmental domains, total Specialised producers of env. services 2001* 21.0 4,063 1,586
Environmental domains, total Specialised producers of env. services 2005* 21.5 4,301 1,667
Environmental domains, total Specialised producers of env. services 2010* 22.0 5,010 1,966
Environmental domains, total Specialised producers of env. services 2015* 20.8 5,607 2,167
Environmental domains, total Specialised producers of env. services 2016* 21.2 5,597 2,100
Environmental domains, total Other governmental activities 2001* 32.4 4,000 2,358
Environmental domains, total Other governmental activities 2005* 32.4 4,659 2,791
Environmental domains, total Other governmental activities 2010* 34.3 5,580 3,564
Environmental domains, total Other governmental activities 2015* 31.3 6,260 4,028
Environmental domains, total Other governmental activities 2016* 32.9 7,469 4,282
Environmental domains, total Water quality management 2001* 6.0 763 412
Environmental domains, total Water quality management 2005* 5.7 910 467
Environmental domains, total Water quality management 2010* 5.7 1,137 642
Environmental domains, total Water quality management 2015* 4.7 1,028 564
Environmental domains, total Water quality management 2016* 4.6 995 521
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table presents economic data for the environmental goods and services sector by activity. It contains data on labour volume, output, gross value added and export of the environmental goods and services sector. Output, gross value added and export are measured in basic prices and labour volume is measured in full time equivalents (fte). The environmental activities are assigned to an environmental domain (environmental protection and/or management of natural resources).

The economic data are presented in the following quantities:
-Labour volume, 1000 fte
-Output at basic prices, mln Euro
-Gross value added at basic prices, mln Euro
-Export at basic prices, mln Euro

The environmental goods and services sector consists of companies and institutions that are involved in activities with respect to measuring, preventing, limiting, minimalizing or correcting environmental damage to water, air and soil as well as problems related to waste, noise and ecosystems (OECD, 1999; Eurostat 2009). This definition includes 'cleaner technologies 'and 'cleaner goods and services' which reduce environmental risk and minimize the use of natural resources and pollution. The definition of the environmental goods and services sector is determined on European level and it is used by EU-countries accordingly.

The environmental goods and services sector is part of de Dutch system of environmental accounts, which brings together economic and environmental information in a common framework. The Dutch environmental accounts are compiled following the general concepts, definitions and classifications as described in SEEA 2012 and the 2008 SNA. As it is in line with de definitions and classifications of the national accounts system, there exists a small difference between environmental accounts and environmental statistics. More information on the methodology can be found elsewhere on the website of CBS.

Data available from: 2001

Status of the figures:
Provisional figures.

Changes as of 4 July 2023:
Year 2021 has been added. The figures about earlier years have been adjusted following a change in the business population belonging to the environmental goods and services sector.

Changes as of 8 July 2022:
Year 2020 has been added. The figures about earlier years have been adjusted following a change in the business population belonging to the environmental goods and services sector.

Changes as of 2 April 2021:
Year 2017, 2018 and 2019 has been added. The figures about earlier years have been adjusted following a change in the business population belonging to the environmental goods and services sector.

Changes as of 16 November 2018:
Year 2016 has been added. The figures about earlier years have been adjusted following a change in the business population belonging to the environmental goods and services sector. Environmental activities 'Second-hand stores (no antiques)' and 'Wholesale of waste and scrap' are outside of the scope for the environmental goods and services sector and are deleted.


Changes as of 5 October 2017:
Provisional figures for 2015 have been added. The time series has been updated according to the most recent estimates. A new variable, Export basic prices, has been added. The underlying coding of classifications used in this table has been adjusted. It is now in line with the standard encoding defined by CBS.

Changes as of 25 August 2016:
Year 2014 has been added. The figures about earlier years have been adjusted following a change in the business population belonging to the environmental goods and services sector.

When will new figures be published?
New provisional figures are published annually in March.

Description topics

Labour input of employed persons
The input of labour that is deployed in a certain period. The labour input can be expressed as jobs, years of employment and hours of employment.
Employed persons are all individuals working at a company that is settled in The Netherlands or at a private household in The Netherlands.
Employed persons are considered all individuals performing paid labour, even if it is for just one or a few hour a week, even if they:
- perform labour that is legal, but which from the payment is withdrawn from registration by the treasury and social security authorities ('black labour');
- do not perform any labour temporary, but still get payment (e.g. in case of illness or hold-ups due to frost);
- are on holiday temporary, without payment.
Employed persons can be categorised in employees and freelancers.
Employees are individuals performing labour for a certain period, in return of payment or salary, in money or in kind.
Freelancers are individuals receiving income by performing labour at their own expenses and risk, for the company or profession they practise independently. Participating members of the family are also considered freelancers, unless they start an employment contract.
Output at basic prices
Output (basic prices) covers the value of all goods produced for sale, including unsold goods, and all receipts for services rendered. Output furthermore covers the market equivalent of goods and services produced for own use, such as own account capital formation, services of owner-occupied dwellings and agricultural products produced by farmers for own consumption.
The output of such goods is estimated by valuing the quantities produced against the price that the producer would have received if these goods had been sold. Output is valued at basic prices, defined as the price received by the producer excluding trade and transport margins and the balance of taxes and subsidies on products. This is the price the producer is ultimately left with.
Gross value added at basic prices
Value added at basic prices is equal to the difference between production (basic prices) and intermediate consumption.