• Certification framework to ensure high quality carbon removals and counter greenwashing
• Need to distinguish between carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products
• Carbon removals needed to complement the top priority of reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Parliament has adopted its position on a new EU certification framework for technological and natural carbon removals to help achieve EU climate neutrality by 2050.

With 448 votes to 65 and 114 abstentions, MEPs agreed with setting up a system to improve the EU’s capacity to quantify, monitor and verify carbon removals. It should help to increase their use, build trust with stakeholders and industry and counter greenwashing.

MEPs stress that the scheme must be in line with international standards and that a ‘EU registry’ must be set up to ensure transparency, provide information to the public, and to avoid the risk of fraud and double counting of carbon removals.

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They also see a need to distinguish between the definitions, quality criteria and the rules on carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products, due to their differences and environmental impact.