Eligible for 55: Agreement on carbon sink target will increase EU’s 2030 climate target

• New EU 2030 target to increase EU carbon sinks by 15% compared to today
• EU countries will also report on how they take into account the principle of “do no significant harm”.
• Improved governance and monitoring

MEPs and EU countries agreed to increase the EU’s carbon sink target for the land use and forestry sector, bringing the EU’s 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target to 57%.

On Thursday evening, negotiators from Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the third dossier of the Fit for 55 package. The revision of the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forest Sector Regulation (LULUCF) seeks to improve natural carbon sinks to make the EU the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and improve biodiversity in line with the European Green Deal.

Boosting EU carbon sinks by 2030

The EU’s 2030 target for net greenhouse gas (GHG) elimination in the land, land-use change and forestry sector will be set at 310 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, which is around 15% more than at present.

Member States shall follow a linear trajectory starting in 2022 with the average value of their GHG inventory data for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023, and ending in 2030 with the value set for the country.

The current rules will continue to apply for the period from 2021 to 2025 and EU countries will have to ensure that emissions in the LULUCF sector do not exceed the amount that has been eliminated. EU countries will continue to have some flexibility to help meet their targets, while respecting environmental integrity.

The new EU target will de facto raise the EU’s GHG reduction target for 2030 from 55% to 57%, as the contribution of net removals to the 55% GHG reduction target for 2030 was limited to 225 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in the EU Climate Law as proposed by the European Parliament.

Governance and monitoring

The monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions and removals will be improved, including through the use of more geographical data and remote sensing, so that EU countries’ progress towards achieving their targets can be more accurately monitored.

EU countries will be obliged to take corrective action if progress towards their target is not sufficient. There will also be a penalty for non-compliance: 108% of GHGs above its 2026-2029 budget will be added to its 2030 target. To ensure that the EU’s target is met, the Commission will present a progress report no later than six months after the first comprehensive stocktaking agreed under the Paris Agreement. Where appropriate, the Commission will monitor legislative proposals.

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Following the agreement, rapporteur Ville Niinistö (Greens/EFA, FI) said: “EU sinks have been declining over the last decade. Tonight we have agreed important legislation to ensure that the land sector does its part to address the climate crisis. We now have a more ambitious target and safeguards, such as better data and stricter reporting requirements, more transparency, and a review by 2025. For the first time, this legislation considers biodiversity and the climate crisis as a whole and member states will also need to take into account the principle of not causing significant harm.”

Next steps

Parliament and the Council will have to formally approve the agreement before the new law can enter into force.

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The LULUCF rules regulate activities related to the conversion, use and management of land and forests. Its revision is part of the “Fit for 55 in 2030” package, which is the EU’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels in line with the European Climate Law.

Source: European Parliament