The EU and the fight against climate change: launch of the project Credible to boost carbon farming

Europe is taking on climate change with the launch of Credible, a three-year innovation project aimed at transforming agriculture into a powerful ally in mitigating the adverse effects of carbon dioxide emissions and supporting the European Commission in shaping up carbon farming policies and markets we can trust. Initiated in June 2023, this project brings together 21 organizations from 7 European countries with the common goal of enhancing the capacity of agricultural soils to act as carbon sinks.

One of the main objectives of 'Credible' is to create a network of experts, projects, and initiatives in the field of carbon farming. With participation from organizations in Finland, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands, this collaborative project promises to drive research and innovation in sustainable agriculture across Europe, fostering the creation of economic incentives for farmers willing to implement practices that maximize soils’ capacity to act as carbon sinks.

Carbon farming can be defined as a new business model that provides land managers with financial incentives to maximise the build up and maintenance of soil carbon stocks. While the priority to fight climate change must be emission reductions from all sectors, carbon farming is considered a priority option to compensate difficult to abate emissions. However, as for all emerging markets, many challenges need to be tackled to create opportunities and build trust. Among these, the Credible team will focus on three key areas: the identification of the most suitable agronomic practices; the exploration of standards and certification mechanisms; the deployment of harmonised carbon monitoring systems.

The project is part of the EU Soil Mission and is working closely with DG Clima, DG Agri and the Expert Group on Carbon Removals for the rapid development of policy instruments in support of carbon farming. The project’s highlight will be the organization of three European Carbon Farming Summits, which will be held in March 2024, 2025, and 2026. These summits will bring together experts, researchers, and thought leaders to discuss the latest innovations and strategies related to carbon farming.