The European Union has set itself an ambitious target under the European Climate Law to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. To achieve this goal, it is necessary not only to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also to deploy solutions for actively removing CO2 from the atmosphere. A key tool in this effort is Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 (CRCF), which establishes the first voluntary EU-wide framework for the certification of high-quality carbon removal and land emission reduction.

Environmental integrity and quality criteria

The main objective of the CRCF is to increase transparency and trust in the carbon market while fight against "greenwashing"„. To be eligible for certification, an activity must meet four strict quality criteria, known as the QUALITY: quantification, additionality, long-term storage and sustainability.

Just the criterion sustainability (SustainabilITY) directly links climate action with environmental protection. According to this pillar, no certified activity may cause significant environmental damage (principle „"Do No Significant Harm" - DNSH). Activities must be consistent with the EU's broad environmental objectives, which include:

• Protection and restoration biodiversity and ecosystems.
• Adaptation to climate change.
• Sustainable use of water and marine resources.
• Transition to circular economy.
• Pollution prevention and control.

Carbon agriculture as a tool for nature restoration

Special attention is paid within the CRCF to carbon agriculture (carbon farming). Unlike industrial methods of carbon storage, carbon farming activities must generate at least one co-benefit for biodiversity or soil health.

This approach incentivizes farmers and land managers to implement practices that not only sequester carbon but also actively support ecosystems. Such activities include:

• Restoration and re-irrigation peatlands and wetlands.
• Agroforestry and hedge growing.
• Afforestation that respects ecological principles and avoids monocultures (practices that damage biodiversity, such as forest monocultures, are not eligible for certification).

Economic value of biodiversity protection

The certification framework is not only a regulatory tool, but also a market mechanism. Certification methodologies are designed to prioritize activities with significant co-benefits for biodiversity. Demonstrating ecosystem benefits beyond the minimum requirements can increase the economic value of certified units, bringing benefits to operators. market premium.

The CRCF is a comprehensive system that transforms carbon removal from a purely technical issue into a comprehensive environmental protection tool. By firmly anchoring biodiversity protection and the DNSH principle into the certification process, the regulation ensures that the path to achieving climate goals will not be at the expense of Europe's natural heritage, but will instead contribute to its restoration and resilience. JRi&CO2AI