Regulation (EU) 2018/841 on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry into the 2030 climate and energy framework

Summary:

The European Commission published on 20 July 2016 a proposal for a Regulation establishing new accounting rules and binding commitments for member states to ensure that the use of lands and forests across the European Union becomes more sustainable and climate-friendly over the period 2021-2030.

The European Parliament adopted its position on 13 September 2017 and the Council of the European Union agreed on its general approach a month later. An informal agreement between the institutions was reached in December 2017. The Parliament's plenary session formally endorsed the compromise text in April 2018, followed by the Council on 14 May.

The new Regulation was adopted by the Parliament and the Council on 30 May 2018.

Further information:

Land use and forestry include the use of soils, trees, plants, biomass and timber, and are in a unique position to contribute to a robust climate policy. This is because the sector not only emits greenhouse gases, but can also remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

The objective of the proposed Regulation was to determine the inclusion of the LULUCF sector into the EU climate policy framework, as of 2021. This draft law was part of a legislative package in the framework of the Energy Union Framework Strategy.

+ Communication accompanying the legislative package [COM(2016)500]
+ Consultation on addressing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and LULUCF in the context of the 2030 EU climate and energy framework, March 2015

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: COM(2016)479: Proposal for a Regulation on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry into the 2030 climate and energy framework https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2016:479:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2016)246: Executive summary of the impact assessment http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2016:246:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2016)249: Impact assessment http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2016:249:FIN

EurActiv, 14.09.17: Parliament adds forest ‘sinks’ to EU’s 2030 carbon budget http://www.euractiv.com/section/air-pollution/news/parliament-adds-forest-sinks-to-eus-2030-carbon-budget/

Helsinki Times, 14.09.17: Finnish government, forest industries relieved after vote on forest use rules http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/15018-finnish-government-forest-industries-relieved-after-vote-on-forest-use-rules.html

Reuters, 13.09.17: EU lawmakers back including forest absorption to balance CO2 emissions https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1BO21S

Legislative Train: Proposal for a regulation on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) into the 2030 climate and energy framework http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-resilient-energy-union-with-a-climate-change-policy/file-lulucf-regulation

EP: Legislative Observatory: 2030 climate and energy framework: inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil-mobile/fiche-procedure/2016/0230(COD)

European Parliament: Press Release, 13.09.17: MEPs back plans to help forests remove CO2 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20170911IPR83506/

EPRS: Briefing, January 2018: Land use in the EU 2030 climate and energy framework http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI%282016%29589798

EPRS: At a Glance, April 2018: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions post-2020 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2018)620206

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 13.10.17: Better EU forest and land management to help cut greenhouse gas emissions and meet Paris commitments http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/10/13-lulucf/

European Commission: Commission welcomes agreement on key legislation to tackle climate change http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-17-5286_en.htm

European Parliament: Press Release, 17.04.18: EP backs national CO2 cuts and forestry plans to meet Paris climate targets http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180411IPR01515/

EurActiv [Opinion]: Need for a scientific basis of EU climate policy on forests https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/opinion/need-for-a-scientific-basis-of-eu-climate-policy-on-forests/

EurActiv [Opinion]: LULUCF: Will the EU turn the tide on forest growth and torpedo its bioeconomy agenda? https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/opinion/lulucf-will-the-eu-turn-the-tide-on-forest-growth-in-europe-and-torpedo-its-bioeconomy-agenda/

Copenhagen Post, 19.10.17: New climate policy mechanisms a boon to Denmark’s CO2 reduction plans http://cphpost.dk/news/new-climate-policy-mechanisms-a-boon-to-denmarks-co2-reduction-plans.html

Agriland, 01.02.17: What is the LULUCF regulation and why should farmers be aware of it? https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/what-is-the-lulucf-regulation-and-why-should-farmers-be-aware-of-it/

EurActiv, 14.12.17: EU strikes deal on zero emission target for forest sector by 2030 https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/zero-emissions-from-the-forest-sector-by-2030-council-and-parliament-reach-lulucf-agreement/

EPRS: Initial appraisal of a European Commission Impact Assessment http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI%282016%29593797

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