National Ocean Ecosystem Account

Australia’s first National Ocean Ecosystem Account focuses on blue carbon ecosystems and their climate mitigation and resilience benefits. The accounts capture information on mangroves, seagrass and saltmarsh, their location and condition as well as the carbon stocks they sequester and store, and the coastal protection services they offer. The accounts have been published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in two phases:

  • Mangrove and seagrass accounts - August 2022
  • Saltmarsh accounts with an update to the first phase mangrove and seagrass accounts - November 2022

Blue carbon ecosystems are key features of coastal marine environments that provide a range of benefits to communities, including by supporting marine industries such as commercial and recreational fishing, filtering sediment and pollutants from tidal water, and protecting coastal infrastructure and housing from storm surge and flood. These ecosystems offer critical habitat for biodiversity, providing essential breeding and nursery grounds for fish and crabs, food for threatened marine species such as turtles and dugongs, and feeding and staging grounds for migratory birds.

The first National Ocean Ecosystem Account aims to strengthen decision making about the sustainable use and management of blue carbon ecosystems.

Human centred account design

A human centred design approach was used in developing the National Ocean Ecosystem Account. End users of accounts from federal, state and local government, environment organisations, natural resource management groups and the private sector participated in account development in three main stages:

  1. End user research interviews to inform initial account design
  2. Facilitated co-design workshops to inform account methods
  3. Feedback on initial accounts.

A range of expert meetings with scientists and accounting specialists have also informed account development.

The ABS have published a discussion paper and encourage feedback on the account releases.

To contribute to the account development process as an expert or end user, or for further information please contact environmentaleconomicaccounting@environment.gov.au

Phase 1 – Mangroves and Seagrass

The mangrove and seagrass accounts released in August 2022 include:

  • the location and condition of Australia’s mangrove forests and seagrass meadow
  • the number of people living near mangroves who are benefiting from storm surge protection;
  • the dollar value of mangrove coastal protection services (sea wall replacement cost)
  • the tonnes of carbon stored in seagrass beds and mangroves, taking into account annual sequestration flows.
Phases 1 and 2. Assets: hectares of mangroves, seagrass and saltmarsh and tonnes of their carbon stocks. Condition: Mangrove canopy cover and seagrass density. Services: Kilometres of coastline protected from storm surge by mangroves and saltmarsh and tonnes of carbon sequestered. Benefits: Number of people and homes next to protective mangroves and saltmarsh. The cost of replacing coastal protection with a sea wall.

Phase 2 – Saltmarsh

The saltmarsh account released in November 2022 includes:

  • the location of saltmarsh in Australia and various land use types it is located in
  • the number of people benefiting from storm surge protection provided by saltmarsh
  • the dollar value of replacing saltmarsh coastal protection services with a sea wall
  • the tonnes of carbon stored in saltmarsh, taking into account annual sequestration flows
  • intertidal seagrass meadow location.

Kelp

As part of the phase 2 account development process the Australian Bureau of Statistics and DCCEEW investigated the development of kelp accounts. While account suitable data was not available at time of publication, account shell tables for kelp have been included in this release to demonstrate what a kelp account could look like.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics website includes the account tables, summary analysis, methodology statements and a discussion paper inviting feedback on the accounts. Please send any technical queries to the Australian Bureau of Statistics at environment@abs.gov.au

A snap shot of the account results is provided below and is available for download.

mangroves-and-seagrass-summary
Australia’s First National Ocean Ecosystem Account Blue Carbon Ecosystems Phase 2 – saltmarsh

Phase 2 Saltmarsh summary downloadable (PDF 1.7MB)

KEY FINDINGS: Australia’s first National Ocean Ecosystem Account blue carbon ecosystems - Mangroves, Seagrass & saltmarsh

Phase 1&2 key findings fact sheet downloadable (PDF 5.5MB)