United Nations Framework Classification for Resources


United Nations Framework Classification for Resources is an international scheme for the classification, management and reporting of energy, mineral, and raw material resources. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's Expert Group on Resource Classification is responsible for the development promotion and further development of UNFC.

Development

Classification and management of natural resources such as minerals and petroleum are classified using differing schemes. In 1997, UNECE published the United Nations Framework Classification for Reserves and Resources of Solid Fuels and Mineral Commodities as a unifying international system for classifying solid minerals and fuels. In 2004, the Classification was revised to include petroleum and uranium and renamed the UNFC for Fossil Energy and Mineral Resources 2004. In 2009, a simplified United Nations Framework Classification for Fossil Energy and Mineral Reserves and Resources 2009 was published. In response to the application of UNFC being extended to renewable energy, injection projects for geological storage and anthropogenic resources, the name was changed in 2017 to the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources.

Application

The UNFC system is used for:
  1. Policy formulation in energy and raw material studies
  2. National resources management functions
  3. Corporate business processes
  4. Financial reporting
UNFC currently applies to minerals, petroleum, renewable energy,nuclear fuel resources, injection projects for geological storage, and anthropogenic resources. Application of UNFC to groundwater resources is being evaluated.

Implementation

UNFC has been adopted as the basis of national resource classification in many countries including China, India, Mexico, Poland and Ukraine. African Union Commission has decided to develop a UNFC-based African Mineral and Energy Resources Classification and Management System as a unifying system for Africa. Development of AMREC includes preparing a Pan-African Resources Reporting Code. European Commission is assessing the use of UNFC to classify and report raw material resources of Europe.