Global Ocean Accounts Partnership
New Technical Guidance Launch!
Technical Guidance on Ocean Accounting for Sustainable Development
This guidance describes a statistical framework for measuring the ocean, its importance to people, and what people are doing to change it. It provides guidance on how to use the framework and what to do with the results. The framework is based on the principle that information is more powerful when it can be reliably combined with other information. Measuring one ecosystem in one location is useful, but if we have the same measures for many ecosystems, we can set priorities about which are the most important to protect or to rehabilitate so that we may retain or enhance their long-term values to society. To combine information from different sources, they must be either collected according to a shared measurement framework or converted to one to be consistent. This document provides a starting point for such a measurement framework.
Contents
Transition period
Note that during the transition period of the technical guidance being converted into the online format, Table and Figure numbers may be out of order. Please bear with us during this period.
Table of contents
- Introductory
- Technical
Secretariate Contact
Centre for Sustainable Development Reform
Law Building, The University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Download
Download a full PDF version of the current version of the Technical Guidance here (available late 2024)
Please cite as:
Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (2024). “Technical Guidance on Ocean Accounting for Sustainable Development”. Centre for Sustainable Development Reform.
Authors and citation
This document is a product of extensive collaboration and consultation between experts and institutions in the fields of ocean science, statistics, economics, and public policy. The authors would like to express their gratitude to all contributors and reviewers for their valuable inputs and feedback.
Coordinating and Lead Authors
Michael Bordt (ESCAP), Ben Milligan (University of New South Wales), Kenneth Findlay (Cape Peninsula University of Technology), and Teerapong Praphotjanaporn (ESCAP) served as Coordinating Lead Authors of this Guidance.
Substantial written and editorial contributions
Zeba Ali (Canada), Jillian Campbell (UN Environment), Lyutong Cai (ESCAP), Charles Colgan (Middlebury Institute of International Studies), Samy Djavidnia (GEO Blue Planet initiative), Anthony Dvarskas (Stony Brook University), Eli Fenichel (Yale University), Giuseppe “Joe“ Filoso (Canada), Jordan Gacutan (University of New South Wales), Philip James (SPC/UK DEFRA), Coulson Lantz (University of New South Wales and City of San Diego), Essam Yassin Mohammed (IIED), Ina Porras (IIED/DFID), François Soulard (Canada), Sanjay Srivastava (ESCAP), and Andy Steven (CSIRO Australia).
Reviewers
Valuable contributions and advice were received during the development of this Guidance from: Jeff Adkins (USA), Alessandra Alfieri (UNSD), Yannick Beaudoin (GRID-Arendal), Annelies Boerema (University of Antwerp), Jessica Chan (UNSD), Alison Fairbrass (University College London), Monica Grasso (USA), Gaetano Grilli (Cefas UK), Rocky Harris (UK), Marko Javorsek (UNSD), Claire Jolly (OECD), Miguel Angel Jorge (World Bank), Leota Kosi Latu (SPREP), Tiziana Luisetti (Cefas UK), Márcia Marques (Universidade de Aveiro), Peter Meadows (Australia), Sanjesh Naidu (ESCAP), Carl Obst (IDEEA Group), Jan-Erik Petersen (European Environment Agency), Rosimeiry Gomes Portela (Conservation International), Marc Saner (University of Ottawa), Emily Smail (USA), Michael Vardon (Australia National University), Wendy Watson-Wright (The Ocean Frontier Institute), and Wenxi Zhu (IOC-UNESCO WESTPAC).
ESCAP Pilot participants
This Guidance has benefitted greatly from the enthusiasm and technical excellence of the participants in the ESCAP pilot studies: Chen Shang (China); Huang Qi (China); Shi Jianbin (China); Ye Haiyuan (China); Zhang Hongke (China); Zhang Qiufeng (China); Zhu Chunquan (China); Zhao Peng (China); Li Feixue (China); Jiang Hongyou (China); Zhang Yunlan (China); Zhu Zuhao (China); Zuo Ping (China); Wang Qian (China); Xing Wenxiu (China); Zhu Zuhao (China); Jiang Hongyou (China); Li Feixue (China); Li Li (China); Yang Yang (China); Zhang Yunlan (China); Luo Huilin (China); Zhao Peng (China); Yuan Xiutang (China); Guo Yue (China); Tan Lun (China); Siti Zakiah binti Muhamad Isa (Malaysia); Ismail bin Abdul Rahman (Malaysia); Khazlita Adzim binti Abdol Aziz (Malaysia); Husni Alhan bin Md Salimun (Malaysia); Azizan Abu Samah (Malaysia); Rizman Idid (Malaysia); Jillian Ooi (Malaysia); Wee Cheah (Malaysia); Loh Kar Hoe (Malaysia); Sahadev Sharma (Malaysia); Illyani Ibrahim (Malaysia); Mary George (Malaysia); Sumiani Yusoff (Malaysia); Aziz S. (Malaysia); Wafa (Malaysia); Papalii Benjamin Sila (Samoa); Leota Aliielua Salani (Samoa); Kitiona Pogi (Samoa); Robert Ah Sam (Samoa); Asiata Gerard Anapu (Samoa); Frances Reupena (Samoa); Silafau Paul Meredith (Samoa); Kanjana Phumalee (Thailand); Narissara Chanpet (Thailand); Arthit Kraaomkaew (Thailand); Yuwanan Santitaweeroek (Thailand); Krisada Bamrungwong (Thailand); Katesaraporn Wimonrat (Thailand); Pinsak Suraswadi (Thailand); Ukkrit Satapoomin (Thailand); Nguyen The Chinh (Viet Nam); Kim Thi Thuy Ngoc (Viet Nam); Dang Thi Phuong Ha (Viet Nam); Le Thi Le Quyen (Viet Nam); Hoang Viet Anh (Viet Nam); Ngo Nhu Ve (Viet Nam).
Workshop participants
We would also like to acknowledge the guidance and contributions provided by the participants of the Asia and the Pacific Regional Expert Workshop on Ocean Accounts in Bangkok in August of 2018:
Zeba Ali (Canada), Atifah Binti Mohd Alwi (Malaysia), Wycliff Bakeo (Vanuatu), Om Bhandari (Thailand), Caridad Canales (ESCAP), Narissara Chenpet (Thailand), Youjin Choe (UNITAR), Ratana Chuenpagdee (Canada), Daniel Clarke (ESCAP), Elisa Maria da Silva (Timor Leste), Faviana Bosco De Sousa (Timor Leste), Sangita Dubey (UN-FAO), Maria Corazon Ebarvia (PEMSEA), Mark Elisha Eigenraam (IDEEA Group), Achmad Fahrudin (Indonesia), Giuseppe “Joe“ Filoso (Canada), Eugenia Merayo Garcia (IIED), Mary George (University of Malaya), Gaetano Grilli (Cefas UK), Kavinda Gunasekara (AIT), Rikke Munk Hansen (ESCAP), A.K. Enamul Haque (Bangladesh), Ampai Harakunarak (Thailand), Natalie Harms (ESCAP), Shanaka Herath (University of Wollongong), Jeremy Hills (Climalysis), Asaad Irawan (Indonesia), Md. Rafiqul Islam (Bangladesh), Philip James (The Pacific Community), Soparatana Jarusombat (Thailand), Thitiwat Kaew-Amdee (Thailand), Ahmed Khan (IIED), Sooyeob Kim (ESCAP), Thi Thuy Ngoc Kim (Vietnam), Praewpan Kongprakhon (Thailand), Alan Frendy Koropitan (IPB Indonesia), Bimlesh Krishna (Fiji), Carolyn Kumul (Papua New Guinea), Anastasia Rita Tisiana Dwi Kuswardani (Indonesia), Feixue Li (Nanjing University), Jian Liang (China), Xinming Liu (China), Yilun Luo (ESCAP), Ilham Atho Mohamed (Maldives), Essam Mohammed (IIED), Jose Luiz Moutinho (AIR Centre), Putri Ari Hendra Murti (ASEAN), Aminath Mushfiqa Ibrahim (Maldives), Sanjesh Naidu (ESCAP), Elizabeth Nguyen (AIT), Vivienne Rhea Padura (De La Salle Lipa), Jingjue Pei (ESCAP), Zhao Peng (China), Xuan Luong Pham (Viet Nam), Kanjana Phumalee (Thailand), Rosimeiry Gomes Portela (Conservation International), Somyod Prajunban (Thailand), Ismail Bin Abdul Rahman (Malaysia), Insang Ryu (Republic of Korea), Yuwanan Santitaweeroek (Thailand), Roger Sayre (USA), Christina Schönleber (APRU), Sri Setyarini (Indonesia), Gerald Singh (University of British Columbia), Sirod Sirisup (Thailand), Vong Sok (ASEAN), Suthasinee Sontirat (Thailand), François Soulard (Canada), Sanjay Srivastava (ESCAP), Andy Steven (Australia), Sarah Taylor (SOLSTICE-WIO), Kelera Lawenitekini Tokalau (Fiji), Christopher Charles Tremewan (APRU), Engr. Md Waji Ullah (Bangladesh), Gemma Van Halderen (ESCAP), Michelle Voyer (Australian Centre for Ocean Resources & Security), Katinka Weinberger (ESCAP), Janaka J Wijetunge (University of Peradeniya), and Frank Yrle (AIT).
Further guidance and contributions were provided by participants of the First Global Dialogue on Ocean Accounting in Sydney in November of 2019:
Ethan Addicott (Yale University), Umaira Ahmed (Maldives), Rear Admiral (Retd) Mohammad Khurshed Alam (Bangladesh), Gerard Tuii Anapu (Samoa), Nafha Aujaaz (Maldives), Khazlita Adzim Abdol Aziz (Malaysia), Zak Baillie (Australia), Anthony Bennie (Australia), Crystal Bradley (Australia), Frances Brown (Samoa), Peter Burneth (Australian National Univeristy), Mario Cabral (Timor-Leste ), Wee Cheah (Malaysia), The Chinh Nguyen (Viet Nam), Charles Colgan (Center for the Blue Economy), Estefânia Luís Simon da Costa (Timor-Leste ), Bikash Kishore Das (Bangladesh), Subramanyam Divvaakar (ESCAP), Jose Ferrer (UNSW), Ken Findlay (Cape Peninsula University of Technology), Keldi Forbes (Canada), Mary George (University of Malaya), Yimnang Golbuu (Palau), Acácio Guterres (Timor-Leste ), Rikke Munk Hansen (ESCAP), Shanaka Herath (University of Technology Sydney), Michael Huang (Ocean Policy Research Institute), Vivian Ilarina (Philippines ), Siti Zakiah binti Muhamad Isa (Malaysia), Musrat Meh Jabin (Bangladesh), Phil James (Independent marine economist), Hongyou Jiang (China), Wenjia Jin (IUCN), David Keith (UNSW), Arthit Kraaomkaew (Thailand), Bimlesh Krishna (Fiji), Fredrick Kuelinad (Papua New Guinea ), Thaung Kyaing (Myanmar), Glenn-Marie Lange (World Bank), Chhan Lay (Cambodia), Feixue Li (Nanjing University), Phuong Loan Dang (Viet Nam), MD Abdul Mannan (Bangladesh), Laurence McCook (World Wide Fund for Nature), Alistair McIlgorm (Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security), Reiss McLeod (IDEEA Group), Paul David Meredith (Samoa), Ben Milligan (UNSW), Pakeer Mohideen Amza (Sri Lanka), Niyangama Balasooriyage Monty Ranatunge (Sri Lanka), Shafiya Naeem (Maldives), Sanjesh Naidu (ESCAP), Thi Thuy Ngoc Kim (Viet Nam), Kien Nguyen (Viet Nam), Ngo Nhu Ve (Viet Nam), Eduardo Pereira (Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-sustainability), Stephanie Perkiss (University of Wollongong), Kanjana Phumalee (Thailand), Kitiona Pogi (Samoa), Prapasri Pongwattana (Thailand), John Lourenze Poquiz (Philippines), Ismail bin Abdul Rahman (Malaysia), Yesheng CUI Raymond (UNSW), Russel Reichelt (Australia), Rear Admiral Ruwan Perera (Sri Lanka), Leota Aliielua Salani (Samoa), Husni Alhan Md Salimun (Malaysia), Robert Ah Sam (Samoa), Azizan Bin Abu Samah (Malaysia), Yuwanan Santitaweeroek (Thailand), Ukkrit Satapoomin (Thailand), Nelson Shem (Vanuatu), Jianbin Shi (The Paulson Institute), Papali’i Benjamin Sila (Samoa), Rodolfo Soares (Timor-Leste ), François Soulard (Canada), Andy Steven (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), Pinsak Suraswadi (Thailand), Sarah Taylor (National Oceanography Centre), Tony Harrison Tevi (Vanuatu), Van Thanh Nguyen (Viet Nam), Gemma Van Halderen (ESCAP), Michael Vardon (Australian National Univeristy), Katesaraporn Wimonrat (Thailand), Peng Zhao (China), Peng Zheng (DaLian Ocean University), and Ping Zuo (Nanjing University).