24-27 March 2025 | San José, Costa Rica
Please note, this event is invitation only. For expressions of interest, please email m.feoli_martinez@unsw.edu.au
Background & objectives
Hosted by Costa Rica’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Environment, Costa Rican Council of Environmental Accounts, and the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership, with support from the UK government’s Blue Planet Fund, the event will bring government representatives, key international organisations, finance bodies, relevant NGOs and global leaders committed to ocean sustainable development.
As a Co-Chair of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3), Costa Rica aims to build a global coalition of nations committed to innovative marine resource management through ocean accounting. In their pathway towards this, on World Oceans Day 2024, the country announced their own ambition to develop their first fully integrated environmental and economic ocean account by 2030, and to host this event, which will bring together global experts, government representatives, development banks, donors, policy makers and organizations to advance ocean accounting practices, mobilize support, and inspire international commitments ahead of the UNOC 3.
The event aims to:
- Inspire International Action: Share experiences and lessons to encourage countries to adopt ocean accounting as a tool for sustainable ocean management, and support Costa Rica's commitment to ocean accounting at UNOC3 in Nice, France in June 2025.
- Secure Global Commitments: Mobilise financial and technical support from donors, philanthropists, and technical organisations to advance ocean accounting efforts, with significant commitments to be announced at UNOC 3.
- Develop a Comprehensive Implementation Plan: Collaborate with experts, world leaders, and technical organisations to outline the steps required for Costa Rica to achieve its national ocean accounting ambition by 2030.
Preliminary agenda
Day 1: keynote speakers, workshops and training sessions on ocean accounts including introduction to ocean accounts, how to optimise existing data structures for ocean accounts, exploring Costa Rica's journey and 2030 ambition and bridging donor support for international commitments.
Day 2: working sessions to advance ocean accounting use for policy making including workshops on ecosystem extent, condition and services accounts and social accounts.
Day 3: discussions towards UNOC including roundtables for finance and support, bilateral meetings, statements of support and closing sessions.
Day 4: Field trip organised by the Costa Rican government.
