Activities of Ignazio CORRAO related to 2021/0201(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2018/841 as regards the scope, simplifying the compliance rules, setting out the targets of the Member States for 2030 and committing to the collective achievement of climate neutrality by 2035 in the land use, forestry and agriculture sector, and (EU) 2018/1999 as regards improvement in monitoring, reporting, tracking of progress and review
Amendments (26)
Amendment 10 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) entered into force in November 2016 (“the Paris Agreement”). Its Parties have agreed to hold the increase in the global average temperature well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1,5 °C above pre-industrial levelsn its 2018 Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1,5°C above preindustrial levels, in its 2019 Special Reports on Climate Change and Land and on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, and in its 2021 Report on the Physical Science Basis, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provided the latest scientific evidence on the impacts of climate change and illustrated the need to urgently reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in all sectors of the economy and to reverse the degradation of carbon sinks in order to limit global warming to 1,5°C. By adopting the Glasgow Climate Pact, its Parties recognised that limiting the increase in the global average temperature to 1,5 °C above pre-industrial levels would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change, and committed to strengthen their 2030 targets by the end of 2022 to close the ambition gap.
Amendment 11 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Taking a holistic approach to tackling climate and environmental-related challenges and reaching the objectives of the Paris Agreement while delivering on the oath to 'do no harm' to other environmental objectives of the Union are at the core of the Communication on ’The European Green Deal’, adopted by the Commission on 11 December 201928 . The necessity and value of the European Green Deal and of its holistic approach have only grown in light of the very severe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and economic well-being of the Union’s citizens. __________________ 28 COM(2019)640 finalIt is therefore necessary to complement the accounting of GHG emissions and removals from the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector by introducing an obligation to ‘do no significant harm’ to other environmental objectives, in particular the Union’s biodiversity objectives as set out in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and in the relevant Union legal acts, within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council 28a. __________________ 28 COM(2019)640 final. 28aReg. 2020/852 of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (OJ L 198, 22.6.2020, p.13).
Amendment 14 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) In Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council30 , the Union has enshrined the target of economy-wide climate neutrality by 2050achieving an economy-wide balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gas emissions within the Union by 2050 at the latest in legislation. That Regulation also establishes a binding Union commitment to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions (emissions after deduction of removals) by at least 55 % below 1990 levels by 2030. All sectors of the economy are expected to contribute to achieving that target, including the land use, land use change and forestry sector. The contribution of net removals to the 2030 Union climate target is limited to 225 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. In the context of Regulation (EU) 2021/1119, the Commission reaffirmed in a corresponding statement its intention to propose a revision of Regulation (EU) 2018/841 of the European Parliament and of the Council31 , in line with the ambition to increase net carbon removals to levels above 300 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in the land use, land use change and forestry sector by 2030. When implementing the 2030 Union climate target, the relevant Union institutions and Member States also committed to prioritising swift and predictable emissions reductions and, at the same time, enhancing removals by natural sinks. In order to ensure that sufficient mitigation efforts are deployed by emitting sectors until 2030, the contribution of net removals to the 2030 Union climate target has been limited to 225 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, without prejudice to the objective of enhancing its net carbon sink beyond that level in 2030 in view of achieving climate-neutrality by 2050 at the latest, including the transport sector, which should become climate neutral by 2050. Every sector should aim to reach climate neutrality, and should not rely on LULUCF. __________________ 30Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1).’. 31 Regulation (EU) 2018/841 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry in the 2030 climate and energy framework, and amending Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 and Decision No 529/2013/EU (OJ L 156, 19.6.2018, p. 1).
Amendment 16 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) Harvesting for energy purposes has increased, resulting in higher imports of raw materials from third countries as well as an increase of the production of those materials within the Union. All biofuels, bioliquids and biomass sourced from the LULUCF sector within the EU, or imported from third-countries should adhere to strict sustainability criteria and, in some cases, be phased out altogether. In particular, crop based biofuels should be phased out by 2030 at the latest, since scientific evidence demonstrates that these fuels offer few if any carbon savings and are not appropriate in the energy sector as they take up land that could be used for food and feed. High Indirect Land-Use Change (ILUC) risk biofuels, such as palm oil and soy oil, should be phased out even earlier, by 2022, given the devastating impacts on deforestation and biodiversity in the countries of production. Advanced biofuels, feedstocks with significant existing industrial uses should not be promoted, given the adverse impacts (both economic and on climate) that result from their displacement.
Amendment 19 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 b (new)
Recital 4 b (new)
(4b) Land should not be converted to accommodate the production of agricultural raw material for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels.
Amendment 20 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 c (new)
Recital 4 c (new)
(4c) The production of raw material for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels should not have the effect of encouraging the destruction of biodiverse lands and reducing biodiversity. Such finite resources, recognised in various international instruments to be of universal value, should be preserved. It is therefore necessary to strictly follow the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria ensuring that biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels qualify for the incentives only where it is guaranteed that any raw material from LULUCF sector does not originate from biodiverse areas or, in the case of areas designated for nature protection purposes or for the protection of rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems or species, the relevant competent authority demonstrates that the production of the raw material does not interfere with such purposes.
Amendment 21 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 d (new)
Recital 4 d (new)
(4d) Biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels sourced from the LULUCF sector should be used only in hard-to-abate transport modes where the current technology and development does not make possible to use electrification using additional renewable energy.
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) In order to contribute to the increased ambition to reduce greenhouse gas net emissions from at least 40 % to at least 55 % below 1990 levelsensure that the LULUCF sector makes a sustainable and predictable long-term contribution to the EU climate-neutrality objective, binding annual targets for net greenhouse gas removals should be set out for each Member State in the land use, land use change and forestry sector inLULUCF sector in the period up to at least 2050, starting with the period from 2026 to 2030 (in analogy to the annual emission allocations set out in Regulation (EU) 2018/842 of the European Parliament and of the Council32 ), resulting in a target of 31n intermediary target of at least 490 millions of tonnes CO2 equivalent of net removals for the Union as a whole in 2030. The methodology used to establish the national targets for 2030 should take into account the average greenhouse gas emissions and removals from the years 2016, 2017 and 2018, reported by each Member State, and reflect the current mitigation performance of the land use, land use change and forestry sector, and each Member State’s share of the managed land area in the Union, taking into account the capacity of that Member State to improve its performance in the sector via land management practices or changes in land use that benefit the climate and biodiversity. __________________ 32Regulation (EU) 2018/842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions by Member States from 2021 to 2030 contributing to climate action to meet commitments under the Paris Agreement and amending Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 (OJ L 156, 19.6.2018, p. 26).
Amendment 27 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) More than 75% of the Union’s greenhouse gas emissions are energy related, of which a relevant proportion used for the different transport modes. Therefore, all measures to improve the energy efficiency, including switching to public transport, active mobility and electrifying transport, and thus reducing the overall energy demand should be prioritised and promoted, and duly integrated with climate policy actions across sectors, including the transport and tourism sector.
Amendment 28 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The binding annual targets for net greenhouse gas removals should be determined for each Member State by a linear trajectory. The trajectory should start in 2022, on the average of greenhouse gas emissions reported by that Member State during 2021, 2022 and 2023 and end in 2030 on the target set out for that Member State. For Member States that improve their methodology of calculating the emissions and removals, a concept of technical correction should be introduced, subject to independent scientific review. A technical correction should be added to the target of that Member State corresponding to the effect of the change inimproved accuracy in the methodology used on the targets and the efforts of the Member State to achieve them, in order to respect environmental integrity.
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The landLULUCF sector has the potential to become rapidly climate-neutral by 2035 in a cost-effective manner, and subsequently generate more greenhouse gas removals than emissions. A collective commitment aiming to achieve climate-neutrality in the land sector in 2035 at EU level can provide the needed planning certainty to drive land-based mitigation action in the short term, considering that it can take many years for such action to deliver the desired mitigation outcomes. Moresubstantially increase the amount of net-removals in a cost-effective manner both in the short and longer term. However, realising such potential requires a clear vision to be set out and concrete action to be stepped up already over, the land sector is projected to become the largest sector in the EU greenhouse gas flux profile in 2050. It is therefore particularly important to anchor that sector to a trajectory that can effectively deliver net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050coming decade, otherwise the changes required after 2030 would have to happen unrealistically fast. By mid-2024, the Member States should submit their updated integrated national energy and climate plans in accordance with Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council34 . The plans should include relevant measures by which each Member State best contributes to the collobjective target of climate neutrality in thof ensuring a sustainable land sector at EU level in 2035. On the basis of these plans, the Commission should propose national targets, ensuring that the Union-wide greenhouse gas emissions and removals inpredictable long-term contribution of natural carbon sinks, energy efficiency and decrease of GHG emissions in all sector - including transport - to reach the Union’s climate- neutrality objective by 2050 at the latest. On the basis of these pland uses, land use change and forestry sector and the emissions from the agriculture non- CO2 sectors are at least balanced by 2035. Contrary to the EU level target of climate neutrality for the landafter taking into account the advice of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change and the Union GHG budget set out in Regulation (EU) 2021/1119, the Commission should propose Union and Member States targets for net GHG removals from the LULUCF sector byfor 2035, s2040, 2045 and 2050. Such national targets will be binding and enforceable on each Member State. __________________ 34Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, amending Regulations (EC) No 663/2009 and (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directives 94/22/EC, 98/70/EC, 2009/31/EC, 2009/73/EC, 2010/31/EU, 2012/27/EU and 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 2009/119/EC and (EU) 2015/652 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p.1).
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) The European Commission Communication on Sustainable Carbon Cycles1a emphasizes that carbon removals must be accounted in a transparent way and by considering criteria such as the duration of the storage and the risk of reversal. Emissions and removal should not be treated as tonne-for-tonne equivalent and emitting companies should not be allowed to use removal offsets as a means to avoid carbon pricing or emissions cuts. __________________ 1a Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council of 15 December 2021 - Sustainable Carbon Cycles (COM/2021/800 final).
Amendment 49 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) With the setting of binding national annual targets for greenhouse gas removals based on the reported greenhouse gas emissions and removals from 2026 onwards, the rules for target compliance should be set out. The principles laid down in Regulation (EU) 2018/842 should apply mutatis mutandis, with a penalty for non- compliance calculated in the following way: in addition to 108% of the gap between the assigned target and the net removals reported in the given year will bebeing added to the greenhouse gas emission figure reported in the subsequent year by the Member State, a financial penalty of EUR 375 per tonne of CO2 equivalent in excess of the annual national target in the given year.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) In line with the net zero target and the European Green Deal, the European Biodiversity Strategy and to reach the highest possible GHG removal rate according to this regulation, the transport and tourism sector should also be aware of the importance of carbon sinks. Planning, authorisation and deployment of transport and tourism infrastructure should exclude land with high biodiversity value and land with high-carbon stock, such as old growth forests and peatlands, and should be cautious not to cause indirect land-use change.
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The expected aAnthropogenic changes to marine and freshwaters environmentGHG emissions and removals in marine, coastal and freshwaters ecosystems can be significant, and are expected to vary in the future as a result of changes in use through, for instance, planned expansion of offshore energy and maritime infrastructure, potential increase in aquaculture production, including the production of biofuels, bioliquids and biomass, and the increasing levels of nature protection required to meet the EU Biodiversity Strategy targets will influence greenhouse gas emissions and their sequestration. Currently these emissions and removals are not included in the standard reporting tables to the UNFCCC. Subsequently to the adoption of the reporting methodology, the Commission will consider reportextending on the progress, feasibility of analysis and impact of extending the reporting to marinescope of this Regulation to include GHG emissions and removals from the marine, coastal and freshwater environmentcosystems based on the latest scientific evidence of these fluxes and their causes, and apply specific targets to those, when carrying out the review in accordance with Article 17(2) of this Regulation.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) commitments of the relevant Union institutions and Member States to take the necessary measures aimfor enhancing net greenhouse gas removals ing towards the collective achievement of climate-neutrality in the Unionhe LULUCF sector from 2031 and onwards so as to contribute to Article 5(1) of the Paris Agreement and ensure a sustainable and predictable long-term contribution of natural sinks to the Union’s climate- neutrality objective by 2035 in50 at the land use, land use change and forestry sector including emissions by the non-CO2 agriculture.’test and to achieving negative emissions thereafter, as set out in Regulation (EU) 2021/1119;
Amendment 60 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. This Regulation also applies to emissions and removals of the greenhouse gases listed in Section A of Annex I, reported pursuant to Article 26(4) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 and occurring on the territories of Member States in the period from 2026 to 2030onwards, in any of the following land reporting categories and/or sectors:
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. The 2030 Union target for net greenhouse gas removals is 31at least 490 million tonnes CO2 equivalent as a sum of the Member States targets established in accordance with paragraph 3 of this Article, and shall be based on the average of its greenhouse gas inventory data for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018. To contribute to that target, emissions and removals of greenhouse gases from cropland, grassland and wetlands shall be balanced at Union level by 2030, and reach negative levels thereafter.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts setting out the annual targetsdelegated acts in accordance with Article 16 to supplement this Regulation by setting out the annual targets for the LULUCF sector, including annual sub- targets for cropland, grassland and wetlands, based on the linear trajectory for net greenhouse gas removals for each Member State, for each year in the period from 2026 to 2029 in terms of tonnes CO2 equivalent. These national trajectories shall be based on the average greenhouse gas inventory data for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023, reported by each Member State. The value of the 31at least 490 million tonnes CO2 equivalent net removals as a sum of the targets for Member States set out in Annex IIa may be subject to a technical correction due to a change of methodology by Member States, subject to independent expert review confirming the necessity and proportionality of the technical correction based on the improved accuracy of the data monitored and reported. The method for determination of the technical correction to be added to the targets of the Member States, and for the independent expert review shall be set out in these implementingdelegated acts. For the purpose of those implementingdelegated acts, the Commission shall carry out a comprehensive review of the most recent national inventory data for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023 submitted by Member States pursuant to Article 26(4) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 4 – paragraph 3a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 3a (new)
3a. The relevant Union institutions and the Member States shall take the necessary measures at Union and national level, respectively, to continue enhancing net greenhouse gas removals in the LULUCF sector from 2031 onwards so as to contribute to Article 5(1) of the Paris Agreement and ensure a sustainable and predictable long-term contribution of natural sinks to the Union’s climate-neutrality objective by 2050 at the latest, as set out in Regulation 2021/1119. By 1 January 2025, the Commission shall, taking into account the advice of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change and the Union greenhouse gas budget set out in Regulation 2021/1119, and on the basis of the integrated national energy and climate plans submitted by Member States by 30 June 2024 pursuant to Article14 (2) of Regulation 2018/1999, adopt a proposal to amend this Regulation to set out Union and Member States targets for net greenhouse gas removals in land use, land use change and forestry at least for 2035, 2040, 2045 and 2050.
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. The Union-wide greenhouse gas emissions in the sectors set out in Article 2(3), points (a) to (j), shall aim to be net zero by 2035 and the Union shall achieve negative emissions thereafter with increasing targets for 2040, 2045 and 2050, in order to respect the trajectory to 2050, in line with the Paris climate treaty commitments. The Union and the Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable thefor each sector to enable the individual and collective achievement of the targets for 2035, 2040, 2045 and 2050, while ensuring balanced achievement of the Union’s Treaty objectives enshrined in articles 11, 39, 191, 192 and 193 of the TFEU and prioritising reductions in direct and indirect fossil fuel dependencies.
Amendment 74 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 4 paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 4 paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Member States shall ensure that measures taken to meet their national targets as referred to in paragraph 2 do not do significant harm other Union environmental objectives, in particular Union biodiversity objectives as set out in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and in the relevant legislation, within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 16 to supplement this Regulation by specifying common rules and methodologies to achieve the objective set out in this paragraph, including minimum criteria for the inclusion of biodiversity monitoring in National Forest Inventories or other land monitoring systems.
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 13b – paragraph 1
Article 13b – paragraph 1
1. A land use flexibilnatural disturbances solidarity mechanism corresponding to a quantity of up to 1789 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent shall be established in the Union Registry established pursuant to Article 40 of Regulation (EU) No 2018/1999, subject to the fulfilment of the Union target referred to in Article 4(2). The flexibilnatural disturbances solidarity mechanism shall be available in addition to the flexibilities provided for in Article 12. (This amendment applies throughout the text)
Amendment 84 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 13b (new) – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 13b (new) – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) the difference in the Union between the annual sum of all greenhouse gas emissions and removals on its territory and in all of the land reporting categories referred to in Article 2(2), points (a) to (j), and the Union target [of 31490 million tonnes CO2 equivalent of net removals] is negative, in the period from 2026 to 2030.
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 18
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 18
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Article 17 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 17 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Following the report, the Commission shall make legislative proposals where it deems it appropriate. In particular, the proposals shall set out annual targets and governance aiming towards the 2035 climate-neutrality target as laid downdditional Union policies and measures based on robust scientific methodologies to achieve the post-2030 LULUCF targets referred to in Article 4(43), additional Union policies and measures, and a post-2035 framework, including innd extend the scope of theis Regulation to include greenhouse gas emissions and removals from additional sectors, such as the marine and freshwater environmentthe marine, coastal and freshwater ecosystems, and to set additional net removals targets for those ecosystems.;
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – title
Annex II – title
Regulation (EU) 2018/841
Annex II a – table
Annex II a – table
Member state Value of the net greenhouse gas greenhouse gas emissions emissions reduction in kt of reduction in kt of CO2 equivalent in CO2 equivalent in 2030 2030 Belgium -1,3522,7 Bulgaria -9,71814,7 Czechia -1,2284,7 Denmark 5,338 3,5 Germany -30,84046,8 Estonia -2,5454,4 Ireland 3,7281,1 Greece -4,379,3 Spain -43,63566,2 France -34,04662,5 Croatia -5,5278,0 Italy -35,75849,2 Cyprus -3,520,6 Latvia -63,44 Lithuania -4 6337,65 Luxembourg -4,030,5 Hungary -59,724 Malta 20,0 Netherlands 4,5232,7 Austria -59,6504 Poland -38,09852,0 Portugal -1,3585,5 Romania -235,6659 Slovenia -1,460 Slovakia -6,8218,9 Finland -17,75430,0 Sweden -47,3264,1 EU-27 -310,00490