Latin America and Caribbean Community of Practice

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 in Latin America and the Caribbean / 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

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.

There are several options available to engage with the community which aim to encourage and maintain contact between practitioners in the region at a pace decided by each individual. These are summarised in the LAC CoP Terms of Reference and below.

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. The page is owned by the members of this LAC CoP - the more engaged we all are they more useful it will be.

Access the Resources Page

LAC CoP Quarterly Newsletter
A quarterly update from the region including projects highlights and milestones, research publications, upcoming events and opportunities for engagement.

LAC CoP WhatsApp Channel
A space for key event announcements, social conversation and technical questions.

Join the LAC CoP WhatsApp

The LAC CoP also coordinates quarterly CoP meetings and other events - see below.

Events

21 May 2025 | Capacitación: Introducción a la Contabilidad Oceánica para América Latina y el Caribe / Virtual Training: Introduction to Ocean Accounting for Latin America and the Caribbean (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 para introducir la metodología de Contabilidad Oceánica a nuevos practicantes y desarrollar capacidades para su aplicación práctica.

Visit the event page here to view the recording.

24-27 March 2025 | LAC Meeting at the Ocean Accounts Exchange: Building a Blueprint for Action | San José, Costa Rica

Costa Rica, in collaboration with the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) Secretariat hosted a meeting for all participants from Latin America and the Caribbean to come together to discuss challenges, opportunities for synergy and priorities across the region for ocean accounts. These inputs were gathered as a write-shop, hoping to align efforts and gather support as a regional initiative. Besides the meeting, the event led to global discussions on the adoption and use of ocean accounts for decision-making, and the invitation to join a global Pledge to Advance Ocean Accounts by 2030. Learn more about the event here.

4 July 2024 | First Meeting of the LAC Community of Practice (CoP) for Ocean Accounting | Bali, Indonesia

The LAC CoP was established at the Global Dialogue on Sustainable Ocean Development in Bail, Indonesia. The first meeting took place at the event and 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 for Ocean Accounting | Online

The Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) Secretariat hosted an online seminar, with over 40 participants from the region. The event began by showcasing country experiences in ocean accounts from Belize, Ecuador and Costa Rica, and proceeded to gather feedback on what the LAC CoP should look like and provide to increase value for the region.

18 March 2024 | Seminar Accounting for the Costa Rican Oceans Part 1: Introduction to Ocean Accounts | Online

The Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) Secretariat hosted the first Spanish-speaking ocean accounting seminar online (recording below), which was attended by 30 participants representing nearly 20 organisations across academia, NGOs and government. Learn more here.

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

Members

The first LAC CoP meeting was attended by several organisations, three of which are officially Members of the GOAP.

and the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico.

Ocean accounting in Latin America and the Caribbean

Latin America and the Caribbean