Compiling preliminary SEEA Ecosystem Accounts for the OSPAR regional sea: experimental findings and lessons learned
Ecosystem Accounting provides a framework to measure and value relationships amongst ecosystems, society and the economy. The accounts measure ecosystem extent, condition and services, providing the means to identify and internalise ecological degradation, as well as understanding the risks and depe...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Pensoft Publishers
2023-07-01
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| Series: | One Ecosystem |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://oneecosystem.pensoft.net/article/108030/download/pdf/ |
| _version_ | 1827903471631728640 |
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| author | Maria Alarcon Blazquez Rob van der Veeren Jordan Gacutan Philip James |
| author_facet | Maria Alarcon Blazquez Rob van der Veeren Jordan Gacutan Philip James |
| author_sort | Maria Alarcon Blazquez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ecosystem Accounting provides a framework to measure and value relationships amongst ecosystems, society and the economy. The accounts measure ecosystem extent, condition and services, providing the means to identify and internalise ecological degradation, as well as understanding the risks and dependencies of economic activities on the environment and tracking progress towards sustainable development. The OSPAR Convention, which concerns the protection of the Marine Environment for the North-East Atlantic, has committed to accounting for natural capital and ecosystem services, where the UN System of Environmental Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) provides an international accounting standard for guidance in compiling accounts. Here, we describe the first attempt in compiling accounts aligned with SEEA EA at a Regional Sea scale. We: (i) identified existing open access data, (ii) produced accounts for selected ecosystems and valued their services and asset value and (iii) identified challenges and lessons learned. For ecosystem services, we measured fish provisioning, carbon sequestration and outdoor recreation from coastal and marine environments across OSPAR contracting parties. The exercise identified lack of fitting data at regional level, spatially-explicit linkages and harmonisation need to be overcome to further expand accounts. This work represents an initial step to progress on ecosystem accounting and demonstrates that even with limited data and incomplete time-series, accounts can start being compiled to identify data gaps and prioritising next steps. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:12:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9ac9deefdd3847b6b578a4d34407ede1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2367-8194 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:12:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Pensoft Publishers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | One Ecosystem |
| spelling | doaj.art-9ac9deefdd3847b6b578a4d34407ede12023-07-12T08:11:04ZengPensoft PublishersOne Ecosystem2367-81942023-07-01812310.3897/oneeco.8.e108030108030Compiling preliminary SEEA Ecosystem Accounts for the OSPAR regional sea: experimental findings and lessons learnedMaria Alarcon Blazquez0Rob van der Veeren1Jordan Gacutan2Philip James3Global Ocean Accounts Partnership, Sustainable Development Reform Hub, University of New South WalesMinistry of Infrastructure and Water Management, RijkswaterstaatGlobal Ocean Accounts Partnership, Sustainable Development Reform Hub, University of New South WalesGlobal Ocean Accounts Partnership, Sustainable Development Reform Hub, University of New South WalesEcosystem Accounting provides a framework to measure and value relationships amongst ecosystems, society and the economy. The accounts measure ecosystem extent, condition and services, providing the means to identify and internalise ecological degradation, as well as understanding the risks and dependencies of economic activities on the environment and tracking progress towards sustainable development. The OSPAR Convention, which concerns the protection of the Marine Environment for the North-East Atlantic, has committed to accounting for natural capital and ecosystem services, where the UN System of Environmental Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) provides an international accounting standard for guidance in compiling accounts. Here, we describe the first attempt in compiling accounts aligned with SEEA EA at a Regional Sea scale. We: (i) identified existing open access data, (ii) produced accounts for selected ecosystems and valued their services and asset value and (iii) identified challenges and lessons learned. For ecosystem services, we measured fish provisioning, carbon sequestration and outdoor recreation from coastal and marine environments across OSPAR contracting parties. The exercise identified lack of fitting data at regional level, spatially-explicit linkages and harmonisation need to be overcome to further expand accounts. This work represents an initial step to progress on ecosystem accounting and demonstrates that even with limited data and incomplete time-series, accounts can start being compiled to identify data gaps and prioritising next steps.https://oneecosystem.pensoft.net/article/108030/download/pdf/System of Environmental Economic AccountingEcosy |
| spellingShingle | Maria Alarcon Blazquez Rob van der Veeren Jordan Gacutan Philip James Compiling preliminary SEEA Ecosystem Accounts for the OSPAR regional sea: experimental findings and lessons learned One Ecosystem System of Environmental Economic Accounting Ecosy |
| title | Compiling preliminary SEEA Ecosystem Accounts for the OSPAR regional sea: experimental findings and lessons learned |
| title_full | Compiling preliminary SEEA Ecosystem Accounts for the OSPAR regional sea: experimental findings and lessons learned |
| title_fullStr | Compiling preliminary SEEA Ecosystem Accounts for the OSPAR regional sea: experimental findings and lessons learned |
| title_full_unstemmed | Compiling preliminary SEEA Ecosystem Accounts for the OSPAR regional sea: experimental findings and lessons learned |
| title_short | Compiling preliminary SEEA Ecosystem Accounts for the OSPAR regional sea: experimental findings and lessons learned |
| title_sort | compiling preliminary seea ecosystem accounts for the ospar regional sea experimental findings and lessons learned |
| topic | System of Environmental Economic Accounting Ecosy |
| url | https://oneecosystem.pensoft.net/article/108030/download/pdf/ |
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