b'Volume #3 / 2024 35Photo: Salla MerikukkaInterview By Kira TaylorMRV: A building blockThis will be supported by the new EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), which to encourage EUaims to verify carbon removals and land use activities that reduce emissions and increase carbon removals carbon storage. Good monitoring, reporting and verification is crucial for implementing this and The European Union is looking toensuring that removals sold on voluntary carbon carbon removals to help reach itsmarkets are credible.emission reduction targets. By 2030,Carbon removals will also be important post-it wants to increase removals by its2030. By 2040, the European Commission has land sector to 310 million tonnes and,suggested that the EU region should reduce by 2050, it will need removals to equalnet emissions by 90%. Niinists Green party emissions to reach carbon neutrality. wants to reach net zero emissionsby that year. Whatever goalis chosen, it is clear there will need to be removals to support it.In an interview with FLUXES, Ville Niinist, aThe higher the targets, the more obvious Green member of the European Parliament,it is that they can only be achieved by the explains how several land use and carbon removalbest possible combination of carbon sinks, laws will bolster MRV and help incentivise carbontechnological storages and emission reductions, removals. Over the last few years, Niinist hashe explains.worked on the Land Use, Land Use ChangeThis will require EU countries to overachieve and Forestry Regulation (LULUCF), the Carbontheir targets in land use and forestry - for Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), andinstance, by using carbon farming activities the forest monitoring law. These are expected toverified under the Carbon Removal Certification work together to improve MRV and boost carbonFramework, he explains. This, in turn, requires removals. a public financial instrument to encourage Under the LULUCF regulation, EU countrieslandowners to reduce emissions.will need to increase their collective carbon sink -In the past, a key barrier to setting up such something that has been declining in recent yearsa financial system has been the quality and - to 310 million tonnes by 2030. The law alsoretroactive nature of the data, according to introduces quicker, more detailed MRV to ensureNiinist. The new laws can help change this.these removals happen. If the forest monitoring"With the right combination of the LULUCF law is agreed, this will further strengthen MRV. targets, the MRV in LULUCF, the Carbon Removal We have a carbon sink policy for the EUCertification Framework, and the 2040 targets and for the member states, for the first time in- in a way that maintains a clear emphasis on history. Its not just for accounting - MRV alsoemissions reductions - we will have a more has a big role in making sure that there is also aproactive policy in place to create financial policy in place, says Niinist, who negotiated theincentives for landowners to increase sinks after LULUCF law for the Greens. 2030,"he says.'