At its 49th session in March 2018, the United Nations Statistical Commission “requested that oceans statistics be integrated in the work of the revision process of SEEA Experimental Ecosystem Accounting.”

At its 51st Session in March 2020, the Commission commended work led by UN-ESCAP and GOAP to develop the Technical Guidance on Ocean Accounting for Sustainable Development. The Commission acknowledged the progress made through country piloting in the Asia-Pacific region and recognised that the Technical Guidance provides a solid foundation for integrating ocean accounts into the revision process of the SEEA Experimental Ecosystem Accounting. In this context, the Commission also acknowledged the importance of developing compilation materials on ocean accounting to meet increasing country demands.