European Commission rules for the certification of farmers’ carbon sequestration are undergoing finishing touches and are due to be published on 30 November.
They will provide EU member states with a framework to quantify and subsequently certify the level of carbon removed from the atmosphere on farms.
The scheme will establish a carbon removal certification process and standard and this is envisaged to reward carbon farming in the EU, whether on a union or national basis.
The scheme details for certifying carbon removals in Europe will be published as part of the Commissions’ ‘Circular Economy Package II’ at the end of this month.
Expert group
According to the scheme’s draft text circulating this week, the Commission intends to bring in an expert group on carbon removals over the coming weeks to flesh out detail for the carbon certification system.
However, it is not yet clear what this expert group will entail and whether there will be farmer representation on it.
The proposals will see the carbon removed from the atmosphere on farms quantified and certified.
Commission officials have also said that the planned certification framework for carbon renewals will build on or play a role in other policies including the new CAP.
It will also feed into the proposed nature restoration law, the corporate sustainability reporting directive, plans for a green claims initiative and the renewable energy directive.
Carbon farming
The draft text of the proposed EU regulation highlights that it will provide a “a voluntary union framework” for certifying carbon removals.
It’s understood this recommended framework will be handed to member state governments, including Ireland’s, to run with if they choose to certify carbon removals.
The European Commission defines carbon removal as the “carbon dioxide transferred from the atmosphere to storage within a non-atmospheric carbon pool”.
The draft document reads that “for carbon farming, a carbon removal is to be understood as net greenhouse gas removal, thus net of greenhouse gas emissions from a biogenic carbon pool to the atmosphere”.
It defines carbon farming as “a carbon removal activity related to land management resulting in the increase of carbon storage in living biomass, dead organic matter and soils by enhancing carbon capture and/or reducing the release of carbon to the atmosphere”.
The draft regulations also note that the carbon removal certification should “take into account the objectives of minimising administrative burden, particularly for small-scale carbon farming operators, while ensuring high-quality carbon removals”.
Certification
It envisages that farmers would apply for certification of their on-farm carbon removals by submitting a management and monitoring plan, including a comprehensive description of the carbon removal activity to a certification body.
This national certification body will be accredited and audited by a national accreditation authority, according to the plans.
In an Irish context, it’s not yet clear which body may take on this role.
The national certification body will also have to maintain a public register of carbon removals it has certified.
Once it has been put into law, the Commission will keep the regulation under review, “taking into account the relevant developments in the union legislation, technological progress and market development in the field of carbon removals”.
Three years after the carbon certification regulation has been entered into force, the Commission will also report to the European Parliament and the Council on its operation.
Read more
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European Commission rules for the certification of farmers’ carbon sequestration are undergoing finishing touches and are due to be published on 30 November.
They will provide EU member states with a framework to quantify and subsequently certify the level of carbon removed from the atmosphere on farms.
The scheme will establish a carbon removal certification process and standard and this is envisaged to reward carbon farming in the EU, whether on a union or national basis.
The scheme details for certifying carbon removals in Europe will be published as part of the Commissions’ ‘Circular Economy Package II’ at the end of this month.
Expert group
According to the scheme’s draft text circulating this week, the Commission intends to bring in an expert group on carbon removals over the coming weeks to flesh out detail for the carbon certification system.
However, it is not yet clear what this expert group will entail and whether there will be farmer representation on it.
The proposals will see the carbon removed from the atmosphere on farms quantified and certified.
Commission officials have also said that the planned certification framework for carbon renewals will build on or play a role in other policies including the new CAP.
It will also feed into the proposed nature restoration law, the corporate sustainability reporting directive, plans for a green claims initiative and the renewable energy directive.
Carbon farming
The draft text of the proposed EU regulation highlights that it will provide a “a voluntary union framework” for certifying carbon removals.
It’s understood this recommended framework will be handed to member state governments, including Ireland’s, to run with if they choose to certify carbon removals.
The European Commission defines carbon removal as the “carbon dioxide transferred from the atmosphere to storage within a non-atmospheric carbon pool”.
The draft document reads that “for carbon farming, a carbon removal is to be understood as net greenhouse gas removal, thus net of greenhouse gas emissions from a biogenic carbon pool to the atmosphere”.
It defines carbon farming as “a carbon removal activity related to land management resulting in the increase of carbon storage in living biomass, dead organic matter and soils by enhancing carbon capture and/or reducing the release of carbon to the atmosphere”.
The draft regulations also note that the carbon removal certification should “take into account the objectives of minimising administrative burden, particularly for small-scale carbon farming operators, while ensuring high-quality carbon removals”.
Certification
It envisages that farmers would apply for certification of their on-farm carbon removals by submitting a management and monitoring plan, including a comprehensive description of the carbon removal activity to a certification body.
This national certification body will be accredited and audited by a national accreditation authority, according to the plans.
In an Irish context, it’s not yet clear which body may take on this role.
The national certification body will also have to maintain a public register of carbon removals it has certified.
Once it has been put into law, the Commission will keep the regulation under review, “taking into account the relevant developments in the union legislation, technological progress and market development in the field of carbon removals”.
Three years after the carbon certification regulation has been entered into force, the Commission will also report to the European Parliament and the Council on its operation.
Read more
‘Heavy lifting’ needed from agriculture to cut emissions – Hackett
Carbon farming will be ‘crucial’ to future of Irish farming
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