On 22 July 2020 at 8:30 (EDT) / 14:30 (CEST), the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) will be hosting a webinar on 'National Accounting for the Ocean and Ocean Economy'.
All countries maintain accounts that tell a story about their economy. The most well-known feature of these national accounts is Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, such an approach often leaves important questions unanswered, such as "What parts of the economy rely on the ocean? Is growth of ocean industries making a country richer or poorer in the long term? How does the economy affect local communities and individuals? Is the economy damaging ocean ecosystems or improving their health for future generations?".
This knowledge gap limits the ability to make effective and inclusive decisions about how to use the ocean and deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In a post COVID-19 world, there is the opportunity to use the ocean and ocean accounting to lead the way in a new system of national statistics that is fit for purpose for the challenges and opportunities of today.