Our Senior Agroforestry Researcher Colin Tosh reports from the Second European Summit on Carbon Farming held in Dublin in March 2025.
There was a strong sense of excitement and optimism around the new Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF). Many see it as a vital step toward standardising the carbon farming space and unlocking much-needed activity and investment.
Despite our best efforts to highlight agroforestry, the summit focused mainly on soil carbon and credits linked to regenerative practices. While agroforestry is covered under CRCF, it took a back seat this time around.
Companies like Agreena typically require farmers to commit to no-till methods, cover cropping, and maintaining root systems for at least five years to earn credits. But there are still big questions:
– Can we accurately estimate carbon accumulation across Europe?
– What happens after five years, when farmers are free to till again?
A standout session featuring IFOAM Organics Europe ‘Bringing carbon farming from science to organic and regenerative farms’ raised concerns about the compartmentalised approach to soil carbon. Their message? Let’s not forget trees, which offer more than just carbon—they bring biodiversity, shade, and long-term stability.
For many farmers, the numbers still don’t add up. High admin costs and low carbon prices mean carbon farming isn’t yet a reliable income stream—unless you’re already on the regenerative path.
Some of the most inspiring stories came from small-scale schemes in the Netherlands. While not yet profitable, their strong farmer-broker relationships and focus on local business engagement offer a promising model for community-based climate action.
Looking ahead, there’s serious innovation happening. Projects like ReForest are developing remote sensing and AI tools to reduce monitoring costs—key to making carbon farming scalable and sustainable.
The summit left me both hopeful and realistic. We’re making progress—but the path ahead still needs careful cultivation.
