Development of the Global ONCE
The Global Ocean Negative Carbon Emissions (Gloabl ONCE) programme traces its origins to 1991, when the concept of marine primary productivity structures was first proposed. In 2010, the Marine Carbon Pump (MCP) framework was introduced, followed by the formal launch of the Global ONCE initiative in 2017. A key milestone came in 2022, when it was endorsed as a programme of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. In 2023, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Working Group Global ONCE-CN was established. In 2024, Gloabl ONCE led the launch of the world’s first ocean carbon neutrality standard. In 2025, it released a landmark science-policy brief on the UN platform, advancing ocean-based solutions for global climate action. This page also features reviews of key developments and major events from 2024 and 2025.
2020 - now
Working Group 46: Joint PICES/ICES Working Group on Ocean Negative Carbon Emissions (ONCE)
The Working Group 46 a joint PICES/ICES working group on Ocean Negative Carbon Emissions (ONCE) was formed with all members been officially assigned on 6th April 2021. WGONCE has consisted of 25 members including two Co-Chairs representing PICES, Drs. Nianzhi Jiao (China) and Douglas Wallace (Canada), and the two Co-Chairs representing ICES, Drs. Carol Robinson (UK) and Louis Legendre (France)....
2015 - 2019
Working Group 33: Joint Working Group on Climate Change and Biologically-driven Ocean Carbon Sequestration (WGCCBOCS)
The Joint Working Group on Climate Change and Biologically-driven Ocean Carbon Sequestration (WGCCBOCS) under the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) was established in 2015. This WG has promoted interdisciplinary exchanges among the research communities by bringing together experts who had expertise using observa...