The standards and registry institution for marine conservation outcomes.
MCC develops methodologies, registers projects, supports independent validation and verification, and issues serialised conservation credits backed by continuous satellite monitoring of marine ecosystems.
Demonstration Register
Featured Demonstration Projects
The programme is in pre-launch. The projects below are part of the MCC Demonstration Programme — they exercise the full registry pathway against demonstration data. None is a registered project, and no credits have been issued.
Reference frameworks
Anchored in established international guidance
MCC methodologies and governance procedures reference the international frameworks listed below. References indicate technical alignment — they are not endorsements, accreditations, or eligibility determinations by the issuing bodies.
Paris Agreement Article 6
Cooperative approaches
MCC methodologies are designed to support Article 6 cooperative approaches and corresponding adjustment workflows for sovereign-to-sovereign transfers. Use under Article 6.2 or 6.4 remains subject to host-country authorisation and Supervisory Body decisions.
ICVCM Core Carbon Principles
Methodology design reference
Methodologies are designed against the ten ICVCM Core Carbon Principles — additionality, permanence, robust quantification, no double counting, sustainable development safeguards. The CCP label is awarded by ICVCM following independent assessment and is not yet held by MCC.
Kunming-Montreal GBF
30×30 biodiversity targets
MCC-MCU conservation units quantify outcomes relevant to Target 3 (30% marine protection by 2030), Target 2 (ecosystem restoration), and Target 19 (biodiversity finance). Buyer claims must remain contribution-first and align with TNFD and CSRD biodiversity reporting practice.
IPCC Guidelines
2006 + 2013 Wetlands Supplement
Quantification of carbon outcomes uses IPCC Tier 2/3 approaches for coastal and marine ecosystems, including the 2013 Wetlands Supplement and 2019 Refinement. Emission factors, activity data, and uncertainty are documented per IPCC good-practice guidance.
ISO 14064
Parts 1, 2 & 3
GHG project quantification, monitoring, and reporting follow ISO 14064. Project validation and verification is performed by accredited third-party VVBs operating under ISO 14065.
UN Ocean Decade
2021–2030
Programme outcomes are framed against the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development priorities for clean, healthy, productive and sustainably harvested oceans.
EU CSRD & TNFD
Corporate disclosure
Credit data and retirement records are designed to support buyers reporting nature-related disclosures under TNFD and the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
Why MCC
The Missing Piece in Ocean Finance
Land-based ecosystem credit markets have shown that scientific rigour, independent verification and transparent registries can mobilise finance for nature. The ocean — the largest and most underfinanced ecosystem on Earth — does not yet have an equivalent infrastructure designed for it. MCC develops the methodologies, registry and governance needed for serious conservation finance to flow into marine and coastal ecosystems, with a contribution-first claim framework that protects integrity from day one.
Programme design
Built for the ocean from first principles
MCC methodologies, monitoring requirements and registry architecture are designed specifically for marine ecosystems — with continuous satellite observation, mandatory independent verification, and a contribution-first claims framework that distinguishes credit retirement from offsetting.
Ocean-native methodologies
MARINE-FIRSTMethodologies are designed for marine ecosystems from the start — accounting for tidal cycles, salinity gradients, water-column dynamics, and the soil-carbon pathways of mangroves, seagrass and kelp. Land-based protocols are referenced where directly applicable, not retrofitted.
Continuous satellite monitoring
MONITORINGProject boundaries are observed monthly via Sentinel-2 (Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem). NDVI, NDWI and habitat-cover indices are persisted on the registry, and anomalies are flagged for expert review under the MCC-700 reversal framework. Methodologies mandate field-based MRV — sediment coring, biomass sampling, dive surveys — to the scientific rigour required by ISO 14064.
Conservation units beyond carbon
BIODIVERSITYMCC-MCU units quantify biodiversity, habitat restoration and species-recovery outcomes independently of carbon. They are designed for buyers reporting under TNFD and the GBF, where carbon-equivalence is not the relevant unit of account.
AI-assisted review with human verification
TECHNOLOGYAI is used to pre-screen Project Design Documents for completeness and internal consistency, and to flag remote-sensing anomalies for expert review. AI does not replace VVB audits or governance approval — every issuance requires an accredited third-party verification opinion.
Serialised, auditable registry
TRANSPARENCYEvery issued credit carries a unique serial number, full project lineage and a permanent retirement record. Public verification of any serial is available at /verify/{serial}. Corresponding adjustment is supported for Article 6 transfers where authorised by the host country.
Contribution-first claim framework
INTEGRITYMCC retirement language is contribution-first by design. Buyers cannot make offsetting, neutrality or net-zero claims against MCC retirements; permitted language is published in MCC-800 and enforced at the point of retirement.
Credit lifecycle
From project design to public verification
Each credit moves through nine stages across three governance bands — programme-managed steps, independent third-party verification, and the public registry. Independent steps are highlighted; nothing is self-certified.
Every issued credit carries a unique serial number publicly verifiable at /verify/{serial}
Methodological Rigour
Standards Framework
Comprehensive, peer-reviewed standards covering every aspect of marine conservation credit design, quantification, and verification.
Updates
Latest News
MCC platform pre-launch milestone
The registry, marketplace and continuous monitoring engine are operational in demonstration mode. Pilot projects exercise the full issuance, monitoring and retirement path against demonstration data under draft methodologies; the public verification endpoint is live.
Sentinel-2 continuous monitoring rolled out across all pilot projects
Continuous NDVI baselines via the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem. Monthly snapshots are persisted automatically.
MCC-010 Kelp Forest to Biochar Pathway open for public consultation
The kelp-forest methodology family is open for stakeholder consultation, with comments accepted until end of Q2 2026.
MCC-800 contribution-first claims framework published
Codifies the programme's contribution-first claims framework. Permitted retirement language is enforced at the point of retirement.
Independent expert panel framework opened for nominations
Marine scientists, ocean governance experts and indigenous knowledge holders are invited to express interest in panel membership.
MCC-850 AI & Remote Sensing standard published
Standard governs the use of AI and satellite remote sensing in monitoring and review. Final verification opinions remain a third-party VVB responsibility.
