Can the Ocean Calculator Save Indonesia's Coasts?

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has begun implementing the Ocean Calculator, a geospatial platform that utilizes ocean accounting, also known as the Marine Resource Balance (NSDL). The objective is to precisely and accurately calculate the economic value of marine and coastal ecosystems based on scientific data, employing satellite technology for its calculations. Fathir Mohamad, Product and Engineering Manager at World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia, stated that the Ocean Calculator is designed to assist the Indonesian government in formulating policies related to the sea and coasts. Currently, the focus remains on coastal areas. The Ocean Calculator adopts seven types of balances: Environmental/Ecosystem Asset Balance, Balance of Flows to the Economy, Balance of Flows to the Environment, Marine Economy Balance, Governance and Institutional Balance, Presentation of Combined/All Balances, and Marine Wealth Balance, encompassing social and institutional contexts. However, the platform currently incorporates only 1.5 of these balances. Eventually, all balances will be used for the implementation of an "ocean account," making it easily understandable for policymakers. To generate precise and accurate calculations, the Ocean Calculator will use comprehensive spatial data. Three pillars underpin the processing of the Ocean Calculator. Firstly, scientific estimation for in-depth analysis of ecosystem services, particularly carbon sequestration and coastal protection. The calculations utilize weighted density coefficients and multi-index spectral validation. "The entire methodology is based on science through a peer-review process," explained Fathir. Secondly, automatic updates of ecological data via Google Earth Engine, using high-resolution satellite imagery from Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8, which are automatically updated. Thirdly, government legitimacy to ensure the data used is official. Sources include the KKP, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), or the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas). Preserving mangroves benefits millions of coastal communities in Indonesia. Photo: Nopri Ismi/Mongabay Indonesia. Information Source: Mongabay Indonesia