In line with the European Green Deal, Parliament approved a reform to the regulation on land use, land use change, and forestry (LULUCF), which aims to strengthen natural carbon sinks and make the EU the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
The EU 2030 target for net greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from land, land use change, and forestry will be set at 310 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, approximately 15% more than the current aim. This revised EU objective should cut the EU’s GHG emissions from 55% to about 57% by 2030 compared to 1990.
All EU member states will have nationally binding 2030 targets for LULUCF removals and emissions based on recent removal levels and the potential for additional removals. The existing restrictions will be in effect until 2025 when EU countries must ensure that emissions in the LULUCF sector do not exceed the amount eliminated. Instead of binding annual targets, EU members will have a four-year budget for 2026-2029 starting in 2026.
Member states can buy or trade removal credits under the LULUCF and Effort Sharing Regulation to meet their targets. A mechanism will also ensure that member states are compensated in the event of natural calamities such as forest fires.
Monitoring, reporting, and verification of emissions and removals will be strengthened, notably through the use of additional spatial data and remote sensing, so that EU nations’ progress towards meeting their targets can be tracked more precisely.
If progress towards the aim is insufficient, EU countries will be required to take corrective action. Noncompliance will also result in a penalty: 108% of GHG emissions beyond their 2026-2029 GHG budget will be added to their 2030 target. The Commission will submit a progress report by six months following the Paris Agreement’s first global stocktake to guarantee that the EU aim is met. If necessary, the Commission will make legislative proposals.