Leading figures from academia, civil society and industry have collaborated to create two proposals to clarify key carbon removals principles that should be integrated into the EU Climate Law and relevant climate policies
Over the past few months, leading figures from academia, civil society and industry answered Carbon Market Watch’s call to develop purposeful proposals to improve the European Union’s approach to carbon removals by clarifying the differing roles and characteristics of emissions reductions, biogenic or nature-based carbon sequestration and permanent removals, and to set separate targets for these three elements.
The project – CO2ol Down – aimed to leverage the expertise and perspectives of a diverse range of stakeholders to co-create EU-centred policy solutions for governing removals in a way that is compatible with climate and biodiversity ambitions.
Today, we release the two significant documents drafted in collaboration with the CO2ol Down participants and co-creators: a proposal for the revision of the EU Climate Law, and a set of policy recommendations on dedicated EU instruments for permanent removals. The results remain open for additional support and endorsement.
Crystal clear vision
Both documents are rooted in the important principle of separate targets for emissions reductions, biogenic sequestration from natural sinks and permanent removals in the EU climate architecture. This three-pronged approach was endorsed earlier this year by 119 organisations who called for the European Commission to incorporate this in EU 2040 climate target proposals.
The CO2ol Down proposal for a revision of the Climate Law presents amendments to the text of the EU’s core climate legislation that underpin the role removals should play in realising the EU’s climate targets.
Fundamental suggestions include ensuring only permanent removals are used to counterbalance the smallest amount of residual emissions possible to reach climate neutrality in the EU, in addition to deep emissions cuts. Biogenic sequestration by natural ecosystems is temporary because it is prone to reversals, and should thus not be used to compensate for residual emissions.
Natural ecosystems should be protected and their carbon uptake enhanced. This is why the consortium included suggestions for the Climate Law to oblige the EU and member states to protect and restore nature, while growing biogenic sequestration capacity year by year.
A mindful strategy for permanent removals
Accompanying the amendments to the EU Climate Law is a recommendations document that offers consolidated guidance from the broad range of experts on best practice for the EU to incorporate permanent removals instruments in its climate policy architecture. Suggested are the key rules that policymakers should follow when setting a strategy for permanent removals that is mindful of the risks, challenges and opportunities of supporting their development.
Recommendations include setting transparent and regularly reviewed targets for permanent removals that are additional to ambitious reductions targets and are based on up-to-date scientific evidence and decreasing residual emissions. Policymakers are also given direction on how to govern and finance permanent removals, and explanation is given on why a variety of carbon removal methods should be considered, and how to best respect sustainability.
Collaborating for good policymaking
“Carbon dioxide removal is a rather controversial policy topic in the EU and we thought the controversial nature of this topic merited taking a somewhat different approach to just a regular advocacy project,” explains Sabine Frank, executive director at Carbon Market Watch. “This meant going beyond the usual work of building alliances with fairly like-minded people to actually getting people together in a room who seemingly disagree and have positions that are somewhat apart.”
Over the course of several months, the Co2ol Down coalition gathered three times during full-day workshops. Between and after co-creation sessions, a core group reunited to streamline the results into tangible policy documents.
Carbon Market Watch led the process with the support of co-creation experts, and great attention was given to developing an environment where a proper co-creative attitude and spirit among partners could thrive.
In the video, also released today, CO2ol Down participants share their impressions on the collaborative policy design process and their expectations for the project’s outcomes.
Join the call to EU policymakers
Individual scientists and organisations can still be listed as supporters of the documents and join the call to action for policymakers to include these principles in the EU’s post-2030 climate framework.
If you would like to be part of the movement, fill out this form.
