Ocean Carbon Hub Enters Third Phase
A European research hub led by Norway is expanding its work on reference materials for measuring ocean CO₂.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Environmental
The JPI Oceans Knowledge Hub on Ocean Carbon Capacities has entered a third phase, building on two years of work to secure reference materials and strengthen ocean CO₂ observations. The Hub, led by Norway and co-led by Germany, brings together experts from 8 European countries, and the United Kingdom has decided to join.
Why it matters
The global ocean carbon observing community relies on a single principal provider for reference materials, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the United States, leaving the system vulnerable to disruptions in production, staffing, funding, or distribution. The Hub's roadmap sets out how additional European capacity could secure that supply.
The Hub's work is grounded in two years of groundwork and experts from 8 European countries, while the four-year Horizon Europe JOHN project began in mid-October. The roadmap does not yet state when additional European reference-material capacity will be established.
The players
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
A research institution in La Jolla, California, that serves as the single principal provider of reference materials to the global ocean carbon observing community.
JPI Oceans
A joint programming initiative coordinating European marine and ocean research funding and collaboration across member countries.
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
A German marine research centre that hosted the June workshop on European reference-material production with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.
The details
The Hub published its first State of Europe's Surface Ocean CO₂ Observations audit in March 2026, with findings presented at the ICOS Science Conference in Lund, Sweden, in September. A two-day June workshop hosted by GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre laid groundwork for European reference-material production.
Timeline
- June: Two-day workshop on European reference material production in Kiel
- August: IOCCP and GOOS position paper calls for a resilient global supply of certified reference materials
- September: Audit findings presented at ICOS Science Conference in Lund
- October: Hub work presented at the symposium in Wellington, New Zealand
- 26 May 2027: First European Ocean Carbon Summit planned in Brussels
Big Picture
The Hub aims to enable annual ocean carbon reporting alongside the Global Carbon Budget, extending that established global carbon accounting framework into the ocean. Securing a resilient supply of reference materials is a prerequisite for that reporting to be consistent across providers and years.
Reliable ocean CO₂ measurements depend on consistent reference materials, so a stable European supply could improve the accuracy of carbon data used in climate monitoring. Researchers and policymakers relying on ocean carbon records would benefit from a more resilient measurement system.
The takeaway
Dependable ocean carbon data rests on a stable supply of reference materials, and the Hub's roadmap points toward reducing reliance on a single provider. Keeping an eye on the 2027 Brussels summit will show how that plan develops.
What happens next
The first European Ocean Carbon Summit is planned for 26 May 2027 in Brussels, with registration opening in 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Environmental research and ocean monitoring.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Jpi-oceans.
