Environmental goods and services sector, activities; national accounts

Environmental goods and services sector, activities; national accounts

Environmental domains Environmental activities Periods Gross value added at basic prices (mln euros) Export basic prices (mln euros)
Environmental domains, total Total sector environment 2021* 22,062 10,371
Environmental domains, total Energy systems and energy conservation 2021* 451 4,291
Environmental domains, total Production of renewable energy 2021* 2,974 .
Environmental domains, total Environmental engineering activities. 2021* 606 90
Environmental domains, total Environmental consultancy, engineering 2021* 2,339 1,447
Environmental domains, total Production of industrial envir equipment 2021* 2,119 2,706
Environmental domains, total Organic agriculture 2021* 397 208
Environmental domains, total Preparation for recycling 2021* 836 809
Environmental domains, total Environmental inspection, certification 2021* 441 90
Environmental domains, total Education about the environment 2021* 61 .
Environmental domains, total Ideological environmental organisations 2021* 315 2
Environmental domains, total Insulation activities constr. industry 2021* 1,792 51
Environmental domains, total Water quantity man. by Water Authorities 2021* 880 .
Environmental domains, total Specialised producers of env. services 2021* 2,955 676
Environmental domains, total Other governmental activities 2021* 5,302 .
Environmental domains, total Water quality management 2021* 593 .
1. Total environmental protection Total sector environment 2021* 11,928 2,602
1. Total environmental protection Energy systems and energy conservation 2021*
1. Total environmental protection Production of renewable energy 2021*
1. Total environmental protection Environmental engineering activities. 2021* 170 16
1. Total environmental protection Environmental consultancy, engineering 2021* 1,347 640
1. Total environmental protection Production of industrial envir equipment 2021* 703 969
1. Total environmental protection Organic agriculture 2021* 397 208
1. Total environmental protection Preparation for recycling 2021*
1. Total environmental protection Environmental inspection, certification 2021* 441 90
1. Total environmental protection Education about the environment 2021* 61 .
1. Total environmental protection Ideological environmental organisations 2021* 298 2
1. Total environmental protection Insulation activities constr. industry 2021*
1. Total environmental protection Water quantity man. by Water Authorities 2021*
1. Total environmental protection Specialised producers of env. services 2021* 2,955 676
1. Total environmental protection Other governmental activities 2021* 4,963 .
1. Total environmental protection Water quality management 2021* 593 .
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Total sector environment 2021* 10,134 7,770
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Energy systems and energy conservation 2021* 451 4,291
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Production of renewable energy 2021* 2,974 .
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Environmental engineering activities. 2021* 437 74
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Environmental consultancy, engineering 2021* 992 807
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Production of industrial envir equipment 2021* 1,416 1,737
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Organic agriculture 2021*
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Preparation for recycling 2021* 836 809
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Environmental inspection, certification 2021*
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Education about the environment 2021*
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Ideological environmental organisations 2021* 17 0
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Insulation activities constr. industry 2021* 1,792 51
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Water quantity man. by Water Authorities 2021* 880 .
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Specialised producers of env. services 2021*
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Other governmental activities 2021* 339 .
2. Management of natural resources, tot. Water quality management 2021*
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

Gross value added at basic prices
Value added at basic prices is equal to the difference between production (basic prices) and intermediate consumption.
Export basic prices
Goods and services sold by residents to the rest of the world (non-residents).