To know the state of stocks and flows of natural resources in certain period, it needs statistical data information. Therefore, every country has to complete statistical information related to natural resources. The United Nations has provided a framework for the development of environmental statistics (FDES), and Natural resources accounting based on them, that can construct the indicators for sustainable development.
Natural resources accounting can be constructed in a physical term and monetary term. Physical accounting provides information about the stock and changes of the stock, due to addition and reduction (due to depletion for production and due to some other factors). Monetary accounting is needed to integrate the National Account and Environmental Accounting (SEEA). In the SEEA, the depletion of natural resources is taken into account, which will influence the level of net domestic products.
The depletion of natural resources is an indicator to know how long the natural resources can be used. It provides the early warning to the planner to formulate economic policy related to the natural resources which no longer will exhausted.
