Carbon Credits in Forest Management (CRCF)

Photo: Michael Engman plantering av skog

The SFIF (Swedish Forest Industries Federation) welcomes the recognition of potential co-benefits of the forest-based bioeconomy, but urges the European Commission to avoid detailed provisions on forest management as well as methodological choices that reduce the overall climate benefit of the bioeconomy.

The SFIF argues that the following principles are crucial to achieve this. The opposite direction towards steering forest management practices undermines the bioeconomy and the objective of the CRCF.

  • The CRCF must remain voluntary and separate from other EU legislation
  • The title and content of the delegated act should reflect the focus on carbon uptake
  • The scope of activities should be open to locally relevant practices that maximise the total climate benefits
  • Quantification and baseline must predominantly be based on simplified template values for the specific activity in the local context
  • Activity period, monitoring period, and geographical scope should be flexible and not hinder rotation forestry
  • The assessment of co-benefits for biodiversity and ecosystems should be flexible and open to locally relevant aspects 

EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation

The CRCF establishes principles and criteria for voluntary certification of carbon credits from practices and technologies, including permanent carbon removals (carbon capture and storage), carbon farming (activities on managed land) and carbon storage in products (wood construction).  

The detailed certification methodologies are established by the European Commission in delegated acts (DA). The DA:s will be used by recognised certification schemes to verify carbon credits that can be sold on a voluntary market. The first DA on carbon farming includes rewetting of peatlands, afforestation and agroforestry. The European Commission is now working on draft DA that addresses carbon credits in forest management.

Where can I find more information about the EU CRCF?

European Commission's webpage – Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming – Climate Action