Module 4 "Measuring the state of the oceans" of the UNEP-UNSIAP-UNITAR Massive Open Online Course "Environmental SDG Indicators" is offered as a stand-alone module with a certificate of completion. The module explains the importance of measuring the state of oceans and describes various challenges that countries and the international community are facing in monitoring the state of oceans overall. It also discusses international plans for sustainable development that cover oceans and incorporate specific action plans in monitoring their state. It provides an overview of SDG 14 with detailed methodologies for calculating four indicators that are under UNEP custodianship, namely SDG indicator 14.1.1a, SDG indicator 14.1.1b, SDG indicator 14.2.1, and SDG Indicator 14.5.1. Additionally, the module briefly describes two non-UNEP indicators that are related to oceans – SDG indicator 14.3.1 and 14.4.1.

Register for the course to take the module. It is free of charge and available in English and Russian. 

The module and the e-learning course with individual 10 modules have been developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (UNSIAP), and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). This course provides an overview of the importance of monitoring the environmental dimension of development, the linkage with existing statistical frameworks (FDES and SEEA), and how to use environment statistics in decision-making. The modules will also provide a brief overview on all 25 SDG indicators under UNEP custodianship.

In particular, this e-learning course aims to build the capacity of countries – representatives of National Statistical Office (NSOs), Ministries of Environment and other stakeholders - to compile and use data on the environment-related SDGs for evidence-based decision-making and to promote cross-cutting data analysis to better understand the environmental dimension of development.

Below is the list of all modules included in the course:

Module 1. Measuring the environment
Module 2. Linkage between the SDGs and the FDES and the SEEA
Module 3. Measuring waste in the SDG
Module 4. Measuring the state of the oceans
Module 5. Land and water accounts and the SDGs
Module 6. Measuring material flows in the SDGs
Module 7. SCP interventions in the SDGs
Module 8. Policy coherence in the SDGs
Module 9. Measuring gender and environment
Module 10. Using environment statistics for national analysis and policy