The Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry sector in the EU as a whole is a net sink, removing about 350 Mt of CO2 every year. However, this sink is projected to decrease. The legislative proposal for post-2020 is unambitious and includes loopholes

 

LULUCF until 2020

The EU’s current 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target of minus 20% below 2005 emissions levels does not include CO2 emissions nor removals (when CO2 is taken up by plants, trees or soils) from Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF). (Non-CO2 emissions from the land-use sector are included in each Member State’s non-ETS target under the Effort Sharing Regulation). When the 2020 targets were set, LULUCF was kept separate from sectors that produce emissions, on the basis that the LULUCF sector was inherently different from other sectors because of issue such as permanence and difficulties with accounting land emissions. At the same time LULUCF is included in EU countries’ Kyoto protocol targets.

LULUCF after 2020

The European Council decided in October 2014 that LULUCF should be included in the 2030 framework but left it open how that should happen. In July 2016, the European Commission published their proposal for a regulation for the LULUCF sectors in July 2016 (see all documents here). The proposal creates a separate legislative framework for LULUCF but allows Member States to offset some of their emission reductions in the Effort Sharing Regulation sectors (i.e. buildings, road transport) with forestry credits. 

Political Process

This proposal will be discussed by the European Parliament and the Member States. Rapporteur is the German MEP Norbert Lins (EPP), Shadows are S&D: Paul Brannen (UK), ALDE: Nils Torvalds (FI), Greens: Benedek Javor (HU), ECR: Wisniewska (PL), GUE: Flanagan (IE), EFDD: Marco Affronte (IT). 

Timetable in the European Parliament's ENVI and ITRE Committee

ENVI Public Hearing	30/31 January 2017
ENVI Consideration of draft report	20/21 March 2017
ENVI Deadline for amendments	27 March 2017, 12.00
ENVI Consideration of amendments	24/25 April 2017
ITRE Vote	11 May 2017
ENVI Vote	22 June 2017

 

Timetable and Presidencies European Council

In the Environment and/or Agriculture Council the Member States will debate the ESR proposal under the leadership of its consecutive presidencies: 2016: Netherlands, Slovakia, 2017: Malta, Estonia (no UK presidency!), 2018: Bulgaria, Austria. 

CAN Europe calls for more ambition and no loopholes

It is essential that the emissions of the LULUCF sector are addressed, but without compromising the emission mitigation commitment made for the ETS or non-ETS sectors. 

CAN Europe calls for:

• A more ambitious target for the LULUCF sectors. The proposed 2030 target of no-debit, meaning no emissions from the LULUCF sector are not ambitious enough given that the land-use sector has to absorb as many emissions as possible, without compromising biodiversity or food security.
• Net-net accounting rules that are clear, honest and transparent, allowing real emission reductions, avoiding “hidden emissions“. Learn more about net-net accounting
• Abolishing the proposed loophole which would allow for 280 million tonnes of LULUCF reductions to be counted towards the non-ETS target.
• Mandatory accounting for ‘managed wetland’         
• Ensure respect for EU Nature legislation      
• No offsetting from the forestry sector          
• Full accounting for emissions from bioenergy.

In addition, the EU’s land sector does not have a mid- or a long-term strategy for decarbonisation. The European Commission should urgently develop a 2050 roadmap for agriculture, forestry and other land-use sectors that takes into account the EU’s 2050 objectives as well as the IPCC’s 2°C compliant carbon budgets.