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Research. Technology and Culture, Business Statistics.
Ole Olsen
+45 29 77 14 98

olo@dst.dk

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Environmental Goods and Services

The data collection 2023 is based on a stratified sample of 1.700 business units out of in total 3,600 units with 10 employees or more in the relevant types of industries

In the complete statistics also estimates for smaller business units and compiled results from existing sources are included.

Source data

There are overall two sources for the statistics:

  • A. A survey by questionnaire, where enterprises are asked about turnover in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023 from EGSS broken down by environmental purposes. About 1.700 units were selected in 2023 as a sample covering a population of about 6.100 business units in the respective types of industry. The selection is by stratified methods.

The stratification is by type of industry and by number of employees (10-19, 20-49 and 50+). In the last group the selection is 100 per cent of population. Within manufacturing a pre-selection is carried out according to a list of environmental goods type of goods (CN8). Within advisory service engineer firms are prioritized. In 2013 Enterprises in Nace_rev2 38 and 39 was selected 100 per cent. from 2015 results for this sector is estimated from other statistics

  • B. Existing data from Statistics Denmark or other agencies, which could be used, either directly or as source for estimation.

Both sources are linked to statistical data on employment, value added and export.

The survey covers the following types of industry: 13, 14, 16, 17, 18 (from 2015), 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 (from 2021), 33, 41+42+43 (only 2013, 2015 and 2021) , 71, 74

Results covering the units with less than 10 employees has been estimated by industry, using data from units with 10-19 employees.

Existing data is used for the following industries: 01, 02, 35, 37, 38+39 (from 2015),41+42+42 (2017-2020, 2023), and 72

Other statistical sources: - Account statistics for agriculture - Forestry statistics - Account statistics, non-agricultural industries - Enterprise statistics - Employment statistics - External trade statistics - National account statistics - Sale and purchase, enterprises - Business register - Construction statistics

Frequency of data collection

Every second year. Latest regarding 2023.

For other years results for environmental goods and services is compiled by combining newest data collected and other statistics.

For the types of industry, where existing data is used, the data collection is annual or more frequent.

Data collection

The survey for EGGS is web-based, meaning that a web questionnaire has been developed. The Danish version at: Grønne varer og tjenester.

The questionnaire has from 2015-collection been into three sections, addressing manufacturing, construction and knowledge based services, respectively. However, the construction sector was not included in the data collection for 2017, 2019 and 2023, but covered by model-based estimates.

Data validation

The validation of collected data are given high priority. This because the not very precise definition on environmental goods and services makes it difficult to formulate very clear questions in the survey. Further, with a bi-annual frequency, the understandning by the data providers may may ne weak.

Overall, 70-80 per cent of the received answers has been subject to validation. Main checks was:

  • if the answers match information from web site and other sources about the production of the firm in relation to possible EGSS products.
  • if the answers about activity match with the PRODCOM statistics information.
  • if the distinction between specific and cleaner and resource efficient EGSS products has been fully understood.
  • if the data about turnover match in size with statistics from last years (to check the measurement unit).
  • if the answers are consistent with previous answers

About 2-300 enterprises has been contacted for clarification of data. In many cases the communication has led to an increase in figures related to EGSS, as the definition has not been fully understood in first stage.

The reported data from consulting engineers units has been compared to data collected for the specific statistics on services for this type of industry.

The non-reporting units have been checked for their importance. In few cases imputation based on available information has been the practical solution.

Data compilation

The consistency of the specific collected data is to the possible extend ensured through the validation.

In general, there has been no imputation needed. The final weighting is expected to adjust for non-response.

Totals are estimated by using the stratification and related weights for the sample.

2023-compilation: The collected data for 2023 are adjusted by turnover from the provisional enterprise statistics 2023. Grossing has been done by using the provisional statistics on enterprises as the frame, meaning that original weights has been adjusted. Estimation for small units (below 10 employed) is based on 2023-results adjusted to provisional 2023-results for this strata.

2022-compilation: The collected data for 2021 are adjusted by turnover from the final enterprise statistics 2022. Grossing has been done by using the provisional statistics on enterprises as the frame, meaning that original weights has been adjusted. Estimation for small units (below 10 employed) is based on 2021-results adjusted to final 2022-results for this strata.

2021-compilation: The collected data for 2021 are adjusted by turnover from the final enterprise statistics 2021. Grossing has been done by using the provisional statistics on enterprises as frame, meaning that original weights has been adjusted. Estimation for small units (below 10 employed) is based on 2021-results adjusted to provisional 2021-results for the strata.

2020-compilation: The collected data for 2019 are adjusted by turnover from the provisional enterprise statistics 2020. Grossing has been done by using the provisional statistics on enterprises as frame, meaning that original weights has been adjusted. Estimation for small units (below 10 employed) is based on 2019-results adjusted to final 2020-results for the strata.

Compiling for previous years has followed similar procedures resulting in provisional and final results.

Linking survey data to other statistics: The survey data are merged to data on employment and GVA for the individual firm by using the unique business ID. Data for small units has been merged at strata-level.

Value added: Value added 2012-2022 is based on Account statistics, by using the green share of turnover as proxy for share of value added. Value added 2023 is preliminary based on provisional enterprise statistic.

Employment: Employment 2012-2022 is based on Account statistics by using the green share of turnover as proxy for share of employment. Employment 2023 is preliminary based on provisional enterprise statistic. For small units the employment 2021 has been adjusted to try to include the owner under employment.

Export: Export values of goods is for 2012-2021 is based on registers, where production data and export data is merged at enterprise level. However, the merging cannot be perfect as exporting unit are sometimes different from the producing unit, which may induce some noise in the overall picture. The Export is calculated by using the green share of turnover as proxy for EGSS-share of export. For 2022 and 2023 the export are provisional and based on "raw" export results. Export values for *services" is compiled using the same model as for goods.

Existing statistics used for for EGSS in certain types of industry are listed below. Results are in most cases provisional for latest year in question.

Agriculture: The results from Farm account statistics on organic holdings has been used for compiling turnover,, value added and employment. Export value is a sub-selection from Statistic results on trade with organic product as only primary goods are selected. The activity under agriculture is allocated to the environmental purpose: Protection of soil and water.

Forestry: The results from gross output calculation on primary wood production are used together with National Account statistics to compile turnover, employment and value added from wood production in certified forest. Export value are not compiled as expected to be insignificant .The activity under forestry is allocated to the environmental purpose: Management of forest resources.

Fishery and aquaculture Turnover, value added and employment is based on data from account statistics on fisheries and Aquaculture for organic producers. Export is estimated to 40 per cent of the turnover. As regards the environmental purposes, the results are equally distributed to Protection of soil and water.

Energy Supply: The activities in NACE 35.10.00, 35.21.00 and 35.30.00 includes energy products from renewables. Statistics Denmark compile economic data for the types of activity. From the statistics on energy production (From Danish Energy Agency) the share of renewables can be compiled and used to estimate of share of turnover, value added etc. A share of export of electricity is compiled using the share of renewables in electricity production. The activity relates to environmental purpose Production of energy from renewable sources.

Collection and treatment of waste water: Data for this type of industry is already compiled by Statistics Denmark and can directly be used for EGSS compilation. The activities relates to the purpose Wastewater management.

Collection and treatment of waste Data for this type of industry is already compiled by Statistics Denmark and are, using results for 2013-collection, distributed to environmental purposes, mainly "Treatment of waste". The break-down keys has been adjusted more times, in the light of increased reuse.

Construction. Using statistics covering the construction sector and information on environmental and resource saving activities in construction, the turnover 2017 - 2020 of EGSS in construction has been estimated, partly based on 2016-results. Further information on the sources and the compilation can be provided by the contact person. Employment and value added is compiled by combining the EGSS-turnover and the Account statistics. Previously, and again in 2021, the construction sector was part of direct data collection for EGSS. For 2023 the figures are based on estimations using 2022-results as baseline.

Research and development: By use of the R&D register and the variables research in energy and environmental research turnover and employment can be estimated for the EGSS. The value added is estimated based on Account statistics. Export is based on value of export and is the EGSS-share of exports from units in type of industry NACE 72. The estimates build upon several assumptions, which have to be noted when using of data.

Other technical business service: The results 2019-2020 are figures from 2018 adjusted by use of statistics for organic production and Account statistics. The main business type is agricultural advisory service. In 2021 the type of industry is again included in the survey

Adjustment

No further adjustment than mentioned under Data compilation has been made.