Support for climate impact
The certificate that turns stored carbon into trusted climate finance.
The Oncra Certificate is the proof that carbon has been removed from the atmosphere and stored in a measurable, documented and trustworthy way.
It is what allows project owners to unlock the value of their stored carbon. It gives buyers the confidence to fund real carbon removal. And it helps capital flow to the entrepreneurs regenerating land, oceans, rocks and the built environment.
The project removes the carbon. The certificate proves it, records it and makes it fundable.
Ecosystem partners advising on and investing in ONCRA development
Construction Stored Carbon · 2662 tonnes CO₂
View in registryThis is a real Oncra-certified project. Certificate shown for illustrative purposes - no rights or claims can be derived from this example.
Enabler of carbon removal funding
The certificate is the trusted link between carbon removal, transparency and funding.
Makes removal measurable
Oncra translates real-world carbon storage into clear, comparable quantities. Each certificate represents 1 tonne of CO₂ removed from the atmosphere and stored.
Makes impact trustworthy
Certification turns a climate claim into verified information. The project is assessed, the carbon is calculated and the result is documented.
Makes funding accessible
Once carbon removal is certified, it can be funded. This gives entrepreneurs access to carbon finance and gives buyers a reliable way to support real climate impact.
The Oncra Certificate
The formal proof behind every trustworthy carbon removal transaction.
The Oncra Certificate is the official proof that a carbon removal project has met Oncra's high-integrity certification requirements.
It confirms that one tonne of CO₂ has been removed from the atmosphere and stored by a certified project. Behind every unique certificate is the information needed to understand the impact: where the project is, what method was used, how the amount of carbon was calculated and how the project is certified.
A certificate is not a vague climate promise. It is a structured record of verified carbon removal.
What it guarantees
- Verified carbon removal
- 1 tonne of CO₂ removed and stored per certificate
- Carbon calculation based on clear methodology
- Project assessment against Oncra criteria and standards
- Certificate record in the Oncra registry
- Traceability through registry and ledger
- Long term monitoring
What it includes
- Project name and location
- Project owner information
- Carbon removal type
- Methodology and calculation approach
- Amount of CO₂ removed
- Certification date
- Certificate ID
- Certificate status
Why it matters for each part of the system
The certificate creates value because it enables action.
For the climate
Nature-based Carbon Removal is needed to reverse climate change and regenerate life on earth. The certificate makes stored carbon countable, visible and fundable. That helps projects to scale, and remove more CO₂ out of the atmosphere.
For project owners
Entrepreneurs are ready to restore soils, grow biobased materials, farm seaweed, improve landscapes and store carbon. The certificate helps them valorise that climate value.
For buyers
Buyers can fund carbon removal with confidence. They can see what they are supporting, how the carbon was measured and how regeneration is supported.
For the market
A carbon removal market only works when trust is built into the system. Oncra provides that trust through certification, transparency and traceability.
How the carbon removal system works
Carbon removal certification only works when every claim is checked, documented and traceable. The Oncra system is built around clear roles and independent checks and balances.
Project owners develop the carbon removal project
Project owners do the actual climate work. They restore land, grow biobased materials, improve soils, farm seaweed, apply enhanced rock weathering or store carbon in construction materials. They are responsible for developing the project and providing the data, evidence and documentation needed to substantiate the carbon removal and environmental benefits.
Oncra sets the rules and runs the system
Oncra defines the certification requirements, supports projects during onboarding with the documentation and runs the public registry. We make the route to certification clear, practical and transparent, while protecting the integrity of the system. Our role is to make stored carbon measurable, visible and fundable.
Third-party validators and verifiers review the evidence
Independent validation and verification bodies critically assess the project documentation, calculations and evidence. They check whether the project follows the relevant requirements and whether the claimed carbon removal is properly substantiated. This independent review is essential for trust.
International standards define the benchmark
The EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and ISO norms provide detailed rules for high-integrity carbon removal. These standards guide requirements on quantification, additionality, permanence, monitoring, verification and transparency. Oncra builds its system to align with these standards.
Together, these roles create a system where project owners can prove their impact, buyers can fund with confidence and every certificate can be traced back to real carbon removal.
How is it valued?
What determines the value of a carbon removal certificate?
Quality of removal
The value depends on the strength of the methodology, the reliability of the data, the permanence of storage and the quality of monitoring. Oncra Certification works according to the highest-integrity norms as set by the ICVCM and the EU CRCF.
Co-benefits
Nature-based removal creates more than climate impact. Projects strengthen biodiversity, improve soil health, increase water retention, support local resilience and contribute to a regenerative economy.
Transparency
Buyers value clarity. A certificate with visible project information, clear methodology and traceable status gives confidence.
Scarcity and demand
Verified carbon removal is needed at scale. High-quality certificates help meet growing demand from organisations that want to go beyond emissions reduction and fund real removal.
True value
The actual value of a ton of carbon dioxide is the damage it does when it stays in the atmosphere. This 'social cost of carbon' is about $1000+ per ton. This is the money saved when it is removed and stored. Markets are imperfect as long as carbon sells for less.
How certificates are created
The certification process from project to certificate.
Application
(Future) projects submit their details through our simple application form or schedule an intake call with our team.
Assessment
Oncra critically reviews the project against our certification criteria and provides feedback on eligibility and next steps.
Pre-validation
Together with the project developers, the Oncra team gathers all required data, substantiations, and carbon calculations. Our team assists the projects in every step of the process.
Registration
The project is ready for our public registry. All project data from the pre-validation phase transparently shared. From this point, the estimated future carbon removal can be sold in prepurchase agreements / offtake agreements.
Third-party Validation & Verification
Once the project is implemented and carbon is removed from the atmosphere, a certification body will perform a joint validation and verification. After a successful validation and verification, the estimated potential certificates become official issued carbon removal certificates.
Monitoring
Depending on the carbon removal method, the project is monitored every 3–5 years to monitor the carbon storage and potentially issue additional carbon removal certificates.
Monetization
The certificates are ready to be sold on the voluntary carbon market. Projects can either sell the carbon certificates themselves, or partner with our carbon brokers to sell the certificates on their behalf.
Note: Pre-purchase agreements may be used for potential certificates after registration, for which it is not yet verified that the carbon actually has been stored. Monetization on compliance markets (like ETS) might be available in the future. Oncra aligns with the EU CRCF to facilitate this when policies are implemented.
Our Methodology
How we certify carbon removal projects
Oncra's certification approach is built to be scientific, practical and transparent. We use clear methodologies to quantify carbon removal, assess project evidence and record certificates in a way buyers and project owners can understand.
Our role is to make complex carbon accounting accessible without weakening the integrity of the result. For this our methods are based on ISO norms and aligned with the EU CRCF framework.
Baseline assessment
We define the starting point and assess what would happen without the project.
Carbon quantification
We calculate stored CO₂ using the applicable methodology, project data and conservative assumptions.
Verification
An independent third-party checks whether the project and calculation meet the requirements before certificates are issued.
Ongoing monitoring
Depending on the removal method, projects are monitored over time to support permanence and continued credibility.
Bamboo
Land Stored Carbon
Types of Carbon Removal
Oncra certifies multiple ways of removing and storing carbon.
Land Stored Carbon
Carbon stored in biochar, forests, roots, soils and stable biomass. These projects also improve biodiversity, soil health, water retention and landscape resilience.
Learn moreConstruction Stored Carbon
Carbon stored in biobased building materials, products, buildings and infrastructure. This makes the built environment part of the carbon removal solution.
Learn moreOcean Stored Carbon
Carbon stored through marine and coastal ecosystems, including seaweed and other blue carbon solutions.
Learn more
Rock Stored Carbon
Carbon stored through enhanced rock weathering, where minerals react with CO₂ and turn it into stable forms of long-term storage.
Learn moreRequirements for certification
Clear requirements protect the value of every certificate.
Quantification
The amount of CO₂ removed and stored must be quantified using scientifically accepted methods, project data and conservative assumptions. Measurements should be transparent, reproducible and appropriate for the carbon removal pathway.
Additionality
The carbon removal must go beyond business as usual. Certification should support activities that would not have taken place in the same way without the project and its funding through carbon removal certificates.
Long-term storage
Stored carbon must remain out of the atmosphere for a meaningful period. Projects need appropriate safeguards, monitoring and risk management to minimise the risk of reversal over time.
Sustainability
Carbon removal should deliver climate benefits without creating unacceptable environmental or social impacts. Projects must meet sustainability requirements and comply with applicable legal, environmental and social safeguards.
Validation & Verification
Projects and their claims must be independently assessed before certificates are issued. Validation confirms that the project design meets the methodology, while verification confirms that the reported carbon removals have actually been achieved.
For project owners
Turn stored carbon into trusted finance.
Submit your project for certification and gain access to verified carbon certificates, the Oncra registry, and a growing network of buyers.
For buyers
Fund removal you can verify.
Every Oncra certificate links to a specific project, methodology, and amount stored. No vague claims, no offsets, just real carbon locked away.