A framework for compiling a blue carbon resource balance sheet: integrating physical and value accounts

Abstract

Blue carbon ecosystems are critical natural assets in mitigating climate change and advancing sustainable development. However, the lack of standardized accounting and reporting frameworks has impeded a comprehensive assessment of their full economic and ecological value and has complicated the clear assignment of management responsibilities. To bridge this gap, this study proposes a systematic framework for compiling a balance sheet for blue carbon resources. The framework operationalizes core accounting concepts, including the reporting entity, assets, liabilities, and net assets. Then, it establishes a dual-track reporting system that integrates physical volume and value. This system initiates with baseline condition reports and physical statements of ecological functions. Subsequently, it employs environmental economic valuation techniques to translate heterogeneous physical data into monetary equivalents, thus enabling their consolidation into a comprehensive statement of total asset value. A detailed implementation roadmap is provided, tracing the entire process from data acquisition through to the delivery of the final report. The proposed framework supports systematic assessment, dynamic tracking, and a clear asset-liability structure for the blue carbon asset base, which establishes a scientific foundation for ecological performance auditing and sustainable blue economy governance, and unlocks the potential for assetization and strategic oversight of blue carbon resources. In the future, some challenges need to be solved, such as the refinement of liability accounting standards, the development of robust accounting methodologies for mobile ecosystems, and the establishment of authoritative valuation standards and unified databases through interdisciplinary collaboration.