The European Commission (EC) has outlined a proposal for a first EU-wide voluntary framework to “reliably certify high-quality” carbon removals. The aim of this first step is to boost innovative carbon removal technologies and sustainable carbon farming solutions, and “significantly improve” the EU’s capacity to quantify, monitor and verify carbon removals. To minimise greenwashing, the Commission will “prioritise those carbon removal activities which will provide significant benefits for biodiversity”. Frans Timmermans, European Green Deal’s Executive Vice-President, said: “To reach climate neutrality we need to sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but we also need to remove carbon from the atmosphere. With our Fit for 55 package, work is ongoing to turn down the big tap of greenhouse gas emissions as fast as we can. This has great potential for biodiversity as well”. The EC’s proposal will now be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council, supported by an expert group, with its first meeting planned for Q1 2023.
To fight climate crisis, we must remove carbon already out there in addition to cutting emissions.
We need carbon removals: natural or industrial activities that remove CO2 from atmosphere.
Our proposal to develop tailored certification methods for #EUCarbonRemovals matters.
— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) November 30, 2022
