Norbert Lins (EPP, Germany) is convinced that agriculture and forestry can play a major role in combating climate change. He would like future European rules on the sector’s contribution to combating climate change to provide sufficient flexibility to member states so that they can manage their forests whilst guaranteeing robust accounting of the CO2 absorption/emissions from these sectors.
On Monday 20 March, he presented MEPs with the main guidelines in his report on the draft ‘LULUCF’ regulation. This was presented by the European Commission last July as part of its summer legislative package on the contribution to EU climate targets for sectors not covered by the Emissions Trading Scheme (the so-called non-ETS sectors) (EUROPE 11700, 11598).
The rapporteur explained that because it covers soil, trees, biomass and wood, "The legislation on LULUCF can make an important contribution to climate change mitigation through CO2-sequestration and storage as well as substitution of fossil fuels and energy-intensive materials". He also emphasised that agriculture and forestry were highly exposed to the impact of climate imbalances.
He defended the point of view that the sustainable management of forests should provide the right to obtaining allowances. His report also called for the caps on these allowances to be raised.
He also said that when “setting the forest reference level, a peer-review amongst the Member States has to be at the heart of the process” and that the Commission should only step in as a last resort. The rapporteur also called for 2000-2012 to be used as a reference point.
The environment committee will give its view on this draft report on 22 June next. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)