Update on the revision of the LULUCF Regulation
As part of the Fit for 55 package, several legislative initiatives aim to support the European target of reducing at least 55% of net greenhouse gas emission by 2030. One of these initiatives is the revision of the LULUCF (Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry) Regulation which addresses agriculture’s CO2 emission from cropland and grassland, and emissions from forestry and wetlands.
The revision proposal from the European Commission, released in July 2021, contains as main updates:
- A 2030 EU-wide target of net greenhouse gas removals of 310 million tonnes CO2 equivalent to move away from the current ‘no-debit’ rule; and
- A new policy framework that includes all agricultural emissions in the land use, land use change and forestry sector, also those currently covered by the Effort Sharing Regulation. This so called AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use) pillar should reach EU-wide climate neutrality in the combined land sector by 2035.
In the European Parliament, the proposal has been referred to the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI Cimmittee) with Ville Niinistö (Verts/ALE, Finland) as rapporteur and they have already published a draft report. We are currently closely following the debate in the ENVI committee and also in the AGRI committee on their draft opinion. The Parliament’s plenary is expected to vote on this in spring.
As IFOAM Organics Europe, we believe the focus of climate action should lie on drastic emission reductions, but the land use sector can play an important role by sequestering carbon. Additional actions should be taken to preserve and enhance carbon sinks. Agroecological and organic farming practices are already recognised as having the potential to increase carbon sequestration in soils. This is why we are also closely following the developments on the carbon farming initiative – to ensure it delivers not only on carbon sequestration and multiple benefits for biodiversity and the environment.
For more information on climate change and IFOAM Organics Europe’s work on this issue, please check out our website and contact [email protected].
IFOAM Organics Europe members can find more information on the member extranet and background materials in the arguments database on the member extranet (main messages, arguments/FAQs, visuals & videos).
For information about what you can gain from being a member, read our membership page and contact [email protected].