The Pledge to Advance Ocean Accounts by 2030
Led by Costa Rica, the Pledge is open to countries and organisations that want to work together to strengthen the role of ocean accounting in governance. Will be featured at UNOC 3
Learn More
Latin America & Caribbean CoP
This Spanish and Portuguese-speaking network connects ocean accounting practitioners across Latin America and the Caribbean. The CoP facilitates regional collaboration on methodologies, data sharing, and policy integration to support sustainable ocean governance throughout the Americas.
LAC
The GOAP Latin America and Caribbean Community of Practice for Ocean Accounting (LAC CoP) is a regional collaboration platform bringing together governments, international organisations and research institutions who are interested in learning about and developing ocean accounts in the region.
Objectives
- Expand the knowledge and use of ocean accounts within the LAC region to impact policy and support sustainable development of the region’s maritime area / Expander el conocimiento y uso de cuentas océanica para impactar política y apoyar el desarrollo sostenible del océano en la región
- Contribute to policy discussions and design in building resilience / Contribuir a la discusión y diseño de políticas para generar resiliencia
- Support equitable economic development and poverty alleviation / Apoyar el desarrollo económico equitativo y el alivio de la pobreza
- Elevate the voices of coastal communities in macro-policy decision making processes / Elevar las voces de las comunidades costeras en los procesos de toma de decisiones de políticas macroeconómicas
Areas of Work
- Enhance Capacity Building and Collaboration / Fortalecer capacidades y colaboración en la región
- Integrate Ocean Accounting into Regional Policies and Planning / Integrar la contabilidad oceánica en política regional
- Mobilise Finance / Mobilizar financiamiento
- Training and Raising Awareness / Entrenamiento y sensibilización
- Advance Implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework / Avanzar la implementación del Marco Global de Biodiversidad
- Publish Regional Technical Guidance / Publicar una guía técnica regional
- Establish Regional Community of Practice / Establecer una comunidad de práctica regional
- Promote South-South Cooperation / Promover cooperación sur-sur
Ocean Accounting Projects
How to Engage
Any organisation or individual can join the LAC Community of Practice without the need to be, or obligation to become, a GOAP Member. The LAC CoP welcomes any and all interested individuals and organisations.
View the LAC CoP Terms of Reference
Resources Platform A centralised platform designed to keep LAC CoP members informed about regional developments in ocean accounts and related activities.
LAC CoP Quarterly Newsletter A quarterly update from the region including project highlights, research publications, upcoming events and engagement opportunities.
Sign up to the Quarterly Newsletter
LAC CoP WhatsApp Channel A space for key event announcements, social conversation and technical questions.
Events
21 May 2025 | Virtual Training: Introduction to Ocean Accounting (in Spanish) | Online
Este evento de capacitación se organiza en reconocimiento de la creciente urgencia de fortalecer la capacidad para las cuentas oceánicas en la región. La capacitación está organizada por la Secretaría de GOAP en colaboración con invitados especiales de la CEPAL y la UNSD.
Visit the event page to view the recording.
24-27 March 2025 | LAC Meeting at the Ocean Accounts Exchange | San José, Costa Rica
Costa Rica, in collaboration with the GOAP Secretariat hosted a meeting for all participants from Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss challenges, opportunities for synergy and priorities across the region.
4 July 2024 | First Meeting of the LAC CoP | Bali, Indonesia
The LAC CoP was established at the Global Dialogue on Sustainable Ocean Development in Bali, Indonesia. The first meeting was attended by participants from 13 countries across the region. Attendees discussed a six-year strategy to leverage existing knowledge and build capacity to collectively advance ocean accounting by 2030. The “Strategy for the LAC Community of Practice for Ocean Accounting” was launched on 4 July by GOAP Co-Chair, the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands.
October 2024 | First Virtual Meeting of the LAC CoP | Online
The GOAP Secretariat hosted an online seminar with over 40 participants. The event showcased country experiences in ocean accounts from Belize, Ecuador and Costa Rica, and gathered feedback on LAC CoP priorities.
18 March 2024 | Seminar: Accounting for the Costa Rican Oceans Part 1 | Online
The GOAP Secretariat hosted the first Spanish-speaking ocean accounting seminar online, attended by 30 participants representing nearly 20 organisations.
Attendees at the first Latin America and Caribbean Ocean Accounting CoP meeting at the Global Dialogue on Sustainable Ocean Development in Bali, Indonesia July 2024.
Resources
- Progress Report: Status of Ocean Accounting in Latin America and the Caribbean
- LAC Community of Practice Strategy
- Virtual ocean accounts training (in Spanish)
Members
The first LAC CoP meeting was attended by several organisations, three of which are officially Members of GOAP:
And the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico.
Contact
For more information about the LAC CoP, please contact the GOAP Secretariat at info@oceanaccounts.org
Insights from LAC
View all
The Time is Now for Ocean Accounts
By Marianne Feoli
The 3rd UN Ocean Conference provides a unique alignment of leadership and strategic vision to recognise ocean accounts as a means to drive sustainable ocean development.
Read More
Belize: Advancing Ocean Accounting for Sustainable Development
Partnership with the Belize Ministry of Blue Economy to develop ocean accounts supporting sustainable Blue Economy development and informed decision-making.
Read More
Accounting for the Costa Rican Oceans
A collaborative project with the Costa Rican government to integrate the value of coastal and marine ecosystems into sustainable ocean development planning.
Read More