The European Commission has opened a public consultation on the future voluntary certification of carbon farming, marking a crucial step in turning climate ambition into practical action on the ground. Published on 23 January 2026, the initiative invites stakeholders to comment on draft methodologies that will define how climate benefits from land-based activities are measured, verified, and recognised across the EU.
Carbon farming encompasses agricultural and forestry practices that enhance the storage of carbon in soils, biomass, and ecosystems, while also delivering broader environmental benefits. These include improved soil health, increased resilience to climate extremes, and enhanced biodiversity. As Europe seeks to meet its climate targets, land managers are increasingly recognized not only as food producers but also as key actors in climate mitigation.
The consultation focuses on the technical foundations of certification: how to quantify carbon removals and emission reductions, how to ensure that claimed benefits are additional and durable, and how to apply sustainability safeguards. These elements are essential to build trust, especially if carbon farming is to be supported through result-based payments or voluntary carbon markets.
This process builds on the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation, which entered into force in December 2024 and established the first EU-wide voluntary framework for certifying carbon removals and low-emission land management. The methodologies now under discussion will determine how this framework works in practice and who can successfully participate in it.
By opening the process to public input, the Commission is acknowledging a critical point: a certification system will only succeed if it is scientifically robust, operationally feasible, and aligned with real-world farming and forestry practices.