The GFarm for LIFE team was proud to participate in the workshop organised within the project “Technical support for the development of carbon farming certification methodologies”, commissioned by DG CLIMA to Wageningen University & Research.
The workshop brought together a wide range of EU-funded initiatives to explore how ongoing research can support the development of certification rules under the new CRCF Regulation.
GFarm for LIFE contributed insights on how integrated monitoring, improved forest management practices and harmonised data systems can help build robust, transparent and resilient carbon-farming methodologies.
During the discussion, the team presented how GFarm’s national-scale MRV approach: combining field data, remote sensing and existing national datasets – can strengthen the evidence base for CRCF implementation. The project demonstrated which improved forest management practices are most effective for increasing long-term carbon removals and boosting ecosystem resilience, including closer-to-nature forestry techniques, enhanced structural diversity, longer rotations and selective harvesting.
GFarm also highlighted the importance of including all major carbon pools: living biomass, deadwood and soils, to avoid trade-offs and ensure realistic accounting. The project further emphasized the need to integrate climate-driven disturbance risks such as drought, fire, storms and pest outbreaks into business-as-usual baselines so that potential carbon benefits are not overstated.
As discussions turned toward baseline approaches, GFarm advocated for regionalised, standardised baselines grounded in existing data systems and complemented by project-specific measurements when necessary. This hybrid approach balances accuracy, comparability and practicality – key principles for CRCF.
Finally, the team showcased how the project’s monitoring tools, data harmonisation efforts and pilots of climate-smart practices contribute to minimum sustainability safeguards, support DNSH compliance and ensure that carbon-farming actions deliver co-benefits for biodiversity, soil health and water retention.
Overall, the workshop provided an excellent opportunity to share GFarm’s progress and learn from fellow EU projects working toward the same goal: building credible, science-based and user-friendly methodologies for future carbon-removal certification across Europe.