Finnish MEP Ville Niinisto has submitted a draft report on land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) aiming for a carbon removals target of 490 million tonnes by 2030 from the sector.

Speaking on amendments to regulations on LULUCF targets, German MEP Norbert Lins was not in favour of the target outlined in the draft. Lins, who has responsibility for the legislation from the agriculture and rural development committee at the European Parliament, said a 15% target is realistic, while recommending reference years of 2018 to 2020 instead of 2016 to 2020.

He noted the carbon sinks have been sinking from 262 million tonnes in 2018 to 249 million tonnes in 2019. A 15% increase to 2030 would reach approximately 300 million tonnes.

The increase in carbon sinks would come from things such as increased carbon farming methods, rewetting of land and increased forestry.

Norbert continued that the EU must be aware of carbon leakage, look at recalculating methane emissions and incentivise farmers to carry out carbon farming.

Amendments to the report will be carried out in February and March, while the whole report is expected to be voted on in June.