The agriculture sector generates several greenhouse gases – methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide – and is responsible for 10.1% of European GHG emissions. However, carbon sequestration in soil can also help remove atmospheric CO2.

Objectives

The overall objective of the LIFE CARBON FARMING is to reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural products by 15% within six years, using result-based funding. Carbon finance has a key role to play in incentivising and expanding low-carbon initiatives. The project will bring together actors involved in agriculture and other economic sectors (public bodies, industrial companies and banks) to implement carbon finance mechanisms in six European countries.

Specifically, the project will aim to:

• Develop a harmonised sustainability assessment methodology and a common process for monitoring, reporting and verifying to help farmers reduce the carbon footprint of their farms and measure the progress achieved via Carbon Farming Projects (CFP);
• Train farmers and advisers, and apply CFP in 700 farms in France, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Germany and Spain;
• Evaluate CFP implementation costs to improve funding initiative schemes;
• Implement and disseminate carbon offset mechanisms that will consist of the development of a voluntary carbon market (recruitment of carbon buyers, contract procedures between farmers, project developers and carbon buyers); and
• Create and promote a European network of farmers and partners involved in CFP to share knowledge and replicate the project results and tools.

The project contributes to EU climate policy goals, such as the EU 2030 Climate target plan COM/2020/562 (Stepping up Europe’s 2030 climate ambition Investing in a climate-neutral future for the benefit of our people), and the Effort Sharing Regulation (Decision No 406/2009/EC). The project is also relevant to the EU common agricultural policy CAP and its ‘farm to fork’ strategy.

Partners