Carbon removal certification

Scope and objectives

On 17 January 2023 the Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment (NAT) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will host an online public hearing in the context of its ongoing opinion on the Carbon removal certification.

Building on the European Commission proposal to establish a first EU-wide certification framework for carbon removals, this event will bring together representatives of European institutions, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to:

  • take stock of current certification schemes;
  • explore different methodologies;
  • discuss what an EU-wide certification framework needs to provide for in practice to make it transparent, reliable and avoid greenwashing.

This event will be webstreamed and interpreted into EN, FR and DE. Viewers will have the opportunity to engage in the debate using the platform Slido with the code: #CarbonRemovals.

Background

Carbon removal is the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and durably store it in geological, terrestrial or ocean reservoirs. This could slow, limit, or even reverse climate change - but it is not a substitute for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Boosting innovative carbon removal technologies and sustainable carbon farming solutions can contribute to the objectives of climate neutrality of the European Green Deal and the European Climate Law to keep the temperature rise below 1.5C. With this in mind, on 16 December 2021 the European Commission adopted a communication on sustainable carbon cycles looking at the development and deployment of natural and technological carbon removal solutions.

Following up on this communication, on 30 November 2022 the European Commission adopted a proposal to establish a first EU-wide certification framework for carbon removals. To ensure the transparency and credibility of the certification process, the proposal sets out quality criteria for carbon removal activities that take place in the Union, rules for the independent verification of carbon removals, as well as rules to recognise certification schemes that can be used to demonstrate compliance with the EU framework.

The main objectives of this initiative are to ensure the high quality of carbon removals in the EU and to establish an EU governance certification system with quality framework criteria to avoid greenwashing.

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