Carbon sequestration and ownership of credits

19.4.2023

Priority question for written answer  P-001265/2023/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 138
Elsi Katainen (Renew)

The voluntary carbon market is crucial in fighting climate change. However, there is confusion concerning double counting, i.e. a Member State may say that it isn’t possible to use carbon credits produced in the voluntary market for ‘carbon neutral’ statements, since they are already included in the national green house gas inventory. A Member State may proclaim that EU regulations make it impossible to segregate voluntary market credits by creating a national registry for voluntary sequestration.

This situation hampers the CO₂compensation market by pushing business out of the EU, violating landowners’ property rights and excluding private funds from the fight against climate change.

• 1.Can a Member State take ownership of carbon sequestration in privately owned forests, using EU legislation as the legal basis?
• 2.Is it possible for a Member State to create a registry for mitigation outcomes as credits for areas where voluntary sequestration is taking place and thus solve the double counting question, and if not, what piece of EU legislation prohibits creating such a registry?
• 3.How will the Commission implement the Paris Agreement in its legislation on the land-use sector to ensure that EU mitigation outcomes are on a level playing field with those from non-EU countries?

Submitted: 19.4.2023