OCEAN ACCOUNTS in South Africa
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The OAF, a system of systems, records marine related data in a standardised way so that all users can benefit.
Environmental-Economic Accounting (EEA) helps us understand the condition of our environment and its relationship with our economy.
The SEEA EA is a system of integrated, internally consistent series of accounts. Ecosystem accounting with the SEEA EA aims to systematically record data on the stocks and flows related to ecosystems. The SEEA EA is comprehensive in its treatment of ecosystems, covering all terrestrial, freshwater, marine and subterranean ecosystems.
It is consistent with the System of National Accounts (SNA) and the SEEA Central Framework (SEEA CF), allowing compilers (Stats SA or National/International Statistical Offices) to link economic and environmental information.
The System of Environmental Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA) advances guidance on accounting for ecosystems, defined as a distinct set of biotic and abiotic components and their interactions. The spatially explicit framework facilitates the organisation and standardisation of biophysical data into identifying ecosystem assets and their subsequent supply of ecosystem services and benefits to society and the economy.
National and Regional Context
South Africa is one of five countries participating in the UN Natural Capital Accounting & Valuation of Ecosystem Services Project (led by Stats SA and SANBI nationally) which aims to assist the participating partner countries to advance the knowledge agenda on environmental and ecosystem accounting and initiate pilot testing of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) Ecosystem Accounting (EA), with a view to improving the management of natural biotic resources, ecosystems and their services at the national level as well as mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystems in national level policy, planning and implementation.
Within this, the Ocean Accounting component and the NRF Communities of Practice – ‘Western Indian Ocean: Assessing the applicability of the ocean-accounts framework’ aims to engage with these international programmes to develop oceans accounts in South Africa, further afield in the Western Indian Ocean Region and contribute to the above mentioned initiatives.
Depicted below are current focus areas for capacity development and establishing Ocean Accounts as a standard framework for compiling data and information in support of more sustainable development.
Accounts
Environmental-economic accounting helps us to build a better, more sustainable approach to protecting, managing and developing marine space. Find out more about the first accounts to be developed in South Africa by clicking here or visit https://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=5992.