IFOAM Organics Europe has urged the need for a holistic and multi-dimensional approach to carbon farming, focusing not only on the amount of carbon stored in soils, but also on biodiversity protection and the systemic transition of farming systems towards agroecology.

Jan Plagge, IFOAM Organics Europe president, said:

“Practices that are common in organic farming are already contributing to higher soil carbon stocks on organic farms, while providing benefits for soil health, water quality and biodiversity protection.

“Organic farming should therefore be recognised as a carbon farming practice.

“It is important to make sure that the efforts of first movers, like organic farmers, are not penalised but recognised as well, so that it is not those who have failed to take action in the past who will be mostly rewarded by a carbon farming scheme.”

Eric Gall, IFOAM Organics Europe policy manager, added that “the adoption of beneficial management practices for carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection in the agricultural sector should be encouraged and farmers should be remunerated for their efforts”.