Conservationists have raised concerns about the new market for carbon removal certificates

Wooden houses and sturdy furniture could soon receive potentially lucrative EU certification for their supposed role in reducing atmospheric CO2, but green groups fear new carbon accounting rules will do little to protect forests and facilitate corporate greenwashing.

MEPs and government negotiators agreed on the provisional text of the new Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) in the early hours of Tuesday (February 20th) after protracted behind-the-scenes negotiations in Brussels. "It will encourage private investment and develop voluntary carbon markets, while respecting climate integrity and preventing greenwashing," said Lidia Pereira (Portugal/EPP), who led the European Parliament team.

Under the agreement, to be considered permanent carbon removal, the sequestered CO2 must be disposed of in a way that is expected to keep it out of the atmosphere for at least several centuries. In the case of current industrial carbon capture and storage (CCS) pilot projects, it involves pumping it under the seabed in depleted offshore oil and gas fields. (Robert Hodgson, more at euronews.com)