Project Focus

Enabling Carbon Farming through an improved knowledge system supporting the development of a regulatory framework for certification of Carbon removals (or Carbon non-emissions) based on a robust and transparent carbon accounting scheme in connection with the national GHG inventory.

LIFE C-FARMS project focus is linked to enabling Carbon Farming practises through an improved knowledge system supporting the development of a regulatory framework for certification of carbon removals based on a transparent and scientifically sturdy Carbon accounting scheme in connection with the national GHG inventory.

Agriculture and land management: Agriculture and land planning, are key sectors to meet the carbon neutrality, the long term goal of the Paris Agreement. To satisfy this requires, the development of Nature based Solutions to reduce and remove CO₂ emissions is essential.

The Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP – COM/2020/98 final), as well as the Farm to Fork strategy (COM/2020/381 final) have indicated as a prerequisite for the activation of a regulatory framework that incentivises the certification system development and carbon farming practises.

Pilot Project

Pilot project context

In this context Lombardy Region can represent an interesting test for a pilot project of carbon farming certification. Lombardy ranks first in agricultural production in Italy, thanks too to the abundance of fertile soils and availability of irrigation water in the Po valley. Lombard agriculture is at the top of the Italian regions in the production of maize, rye, barley, wheat, rice and, especially thanks to in the meadows, forage for livestock.

Rural Development Programme initiatives

The Rural Development Programme initiatives to stimulate the reduction of emissions are a lot, both at farm level (e.g. “Regional action aimed at reducing emissions produced by agricultural activities”) and through the value chains (e.g. the “Venice Agreement for the development of the poplar supply chain”). In the EU, one of the main mechanisms to promote a more environmentally friendly agriculture was introduced by the CAP reform in 2003, through the so-called cross compliance

Wood industry

C-FARMs aims to involve the wood industry in the certification system with the aim to incentivize the use of local wood with the aim of creating an increment in demand that can stimulate the plantation of new areas, with an overall carbon and environmental benefit.