PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) in agriculture is common due to the different working operations relating to the sector. CO2 emissions from energy used in agricultural operations or incorporated in agricultural inputs represent one of the main contributions, but they are highly uncertain and depend largely on primary sources such as energy and materials (fertilisers, pesticides, fuel, electricity and machinery); production methods (conventional or alternative including organic farming or conservation agriculture); various real-world situations; and the use of different methodologies to conduct evaluations.
The total global warming impact in 2019 (EEA, 2021) from the EU agricultural sector was around 389 million tonnes/CO2eq. The EEA also states that EU methane emissions from enteric fermentation and nitrous oxide from agricultural soils are responsible for more than 80% of total agricultural GHG emissions. The third most important source, at 10%, is CH4 emissions from manure management, with the remaining emissions representing a collective contribution that is around the 10% of the total (EEA, 2021). Agroforestry also plays a relevant role, as EU forests absorb the equivalent of nearly 10% of total EU GHG emissions each year (EC, 2021).
To encourage the agriculture and forestry sectors to implement positive actions on climate and contribute to the European Green Deal, as part of the Farm to Fork Strategy the EU has announced a Carbon Farming initiative. The initiative aims to promote a new green business model that rewards climate-friendly practices by land managers, based on the climate benefits they provide. Another instrument is a regulatory framework for certifying carbon removals, based on robust and transparent carbon accounting to monitor and verify their authenticity (EU Circular Economy Action Plan, 2020). Financial support will be directed to land managers to boost carbon farming.
The Carbon Farming initiative explained that Member States will be able to accelerate the roll out of carbon farming practices in the context of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) via eco-schemes or rural development support and through state aid. However, several barriers are hindering the wide-scale adoption of the carbon farming approach:
- Legal barriers: the lack of a regulatory framework that would allow farms to access this credit market.
- Economic barriers: the perception among farmers that there is no economic advantage in entering this market due to the high costs of certification versus the potential benefits.
OBJECTIVES
LIFE OLIVER aims to tackle these barriers by developing a financial incentive system for the olive oil production sector based on exchanging emission credits derived from adopting a carbon farming approach in the voluntary carbon credit market. Four specific objectives will tackle the legal, economic and social barriers, while supporting its roll-out to other sectors:
- Legal: to develop and certify an international standard allowing olive oil producers to access the carbon credit market.
- Economic: to support olive farmers to access the voluntary carbon credit market by adopting a carbon farming approach.
- Social: to increase and foster awareness among farmers of the voluntary emission reductions (VER) market, by actively involving economic operators in the olive oil sector.
- Overall: to support the adoption of the carbon farming approach in all European tree crops by adapting the international standard pilot developed for olive cultivation to other agricultural sectors.
RESULTS
- 300 ha in each country selected to implement the actions foreseen in the project, making a total of 900 ha.
- A methodology to calculate tonnes of CO2 associated with olive tree cultivation.
- Overview of the main voluntary carbon credit certification schemes leading to the selection of the best international voluntary standard for the agriculture sector.
- Design and presentation of a protocol for the olive sector to access the VER market of the selected international standard.
- Protocol application for olive farmers and full project submission form to the selected international standard.
- Exchanges with an estimated average benefit of EUR 67,500/year from selling VER in the voluntary carbon credit market through a specific accredited operator.
- Six awareness-raising events per country aimed at a total 270 farmers, plus 30 policy makers and 30 farm associations per country.
- Four training sessions for farmers per country involving a total of 80 farmers per country.
- Four training sessions for policy makers and farm associations per country involving a total of 40 policy makers and farm association representatives per country.
- 90 to 100 farms selected for the application of the protocol.
Expected environmental impacts:
- Improvement of soil quality over 900 ha due to implementing good practices vis-a-vis the effects on the soil due to the spreading of pesticides and/or fertilisers (mineral or organic).
- Improvement of land biodiversity over 1,100 ha (or 900 ha plus 200 ha thanks to the edge effect) taking into consideration the positive impact of good practices outside the olive groves.
- Reduction of GHG emissions from 0.52 tCO2eq/ha/year to 0.4 tCO2eq/ha/year, with a net impact of -108 tCO2eq/year, thanks to implementing sustainable agronomic practices defined in the project protocol.
- Increase of GHG sequestration of 0.5 tCO2eg/ha/year, with a net impact of 450 tCO2eq/year, due to implementing sustainable agronomic practices defined in the project protocol.
