Agreement on Certification framework for carbon removals helps us move forward to full decarbonization

The Renew Europe group welcomes last night’s inter – institutional agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on a Union certification framework for carbon removals, setting out EU – wide rules for measuring and accounting the capture of CO2 from the atmosphere.

While Europe's goal of becoming climate neutral primarily involves immediate emissions reductions, both permanent and temporary carbon removals are needed to reach the EU's long-term target to achieve full decarbonization by 2050. The establishment of a robust framework for the certification of carbon removals across the EU now provides an additional policy tool to avoid the worst outcomes of climate disruption and safeguard quality of life, economic welfare and biodiversity.

The Renew Europe group is satisfied with the agreement hammered out by the co-legislators as it will provide a solid basis for the deployment of innovative and high- quality carbon removal technologies and kick – start carbon farming in Europe. Thanks to Renew Europe's fruitful negotiations, a clear distinction has been made in the basic architecture of the certification scheme, which is now built on 4 clear pillars, namely permanent carbon removal, carbon storage in products, carbon farming sequestration and carbon farming emissions reduction.

MEP Emma WIESNER (Centerpartiet, Sweden), Renew Europe shadow rapporteur in ENVI, says on the final agreement:

“Renew Europe has been the driving force to create a market for permanent carbon removals as well as for providing farmers the possibility to earn money on climate friendly practices. We have been able to both safeguard climate integrity and transparency, and at the same time increase the ambitions of this framework. I'm very happy with the outcome of the negotiations, which to a large extent is a blueprint of Renew Europe proposals.”

MEP Martin HLAVÁČEK (ANO, Czechia), Renew Europe rapporteur for opinion in AGRI, says:

“I am content that we have managed to target this voluntary legislation properly at farmers, allowing them to make extra income with additional carbon farming activities, should they wish them incorporated in their business model. One of Renew Europe key wins was to include emission reduction in the scope of the framework in order to make equal motivation for farmers in reducing emissions while removing carbon. Lastly, we made key links to the CAP regulation, to make sure that these are better intertwined in the future.”