The first meeting of the Expert group on carbon removals took place on march 7th, in what was a departure point for the integration of carbon removals in the broader EU climate policy.
The meeting opened with the keynote speech by Prof. Edenhofer, director at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, who predicted that carbon removals will dominate climate policy during the second half of this century. He also stressed that many interrogatives on carbon removal governance need to be addressed in the coming years and that certification of carbon removal activities does come with challenges of clear definitions, environmental integrity and carbon release management among others. Still, climate targets can be achieved only if carbon dioxide removal is considered. Following the keynote speech, specific panels covering industrial practices, carbon farming, long-lasting carbon storage products and the credibility of certification methods were held to set the scene for further discussion during future gatherings.
The next meeting is focusing on carbon farming methodologies and will take place in June, with the exact day yet to be confirmed. Soil, forests and peatlands are going to be the elements discussed.
The Expert group meetings are publicly live-streamed, and you can find the recording of this meeting and the panelists’ presentations on this page.