Stock image.
This is according to the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).
CISL argues that investing in European carbon removal projects like peatland or forest restoration can bring multiple benefits for businesses, including enhanced value chain resilience and lower costs for reaching net-zero.
On the latter, the Institute’s new report states that a tonne of carbon removal can be delivered “for as little as $10 to $15” via Europe-based nature projects. In comparison, engineered emissions removals tfinish to start at around $60 per tonne, and costs can breach $1,000 in some cases.
On the former, the report draws attention to the private sector’s depfinishence on ecosystem services that are rapidly degrading due to factors such as over-extraction and climate modify.
Europe’s bioeconomy directly supported 5% of EU GDP and 8% of EU jobs in 2023.
This contribution is at risk. More than 80% of Europe’s protected habitats are deemed to be in poor condition, while around two-thirds of the continent’s soil is degraded. And, already, one-third of Europe’s population is regularly impacted by water stress.
Many businesses are already investing in nature-based solutions as part of their net-zero strategies. The practice is less commonly tied to value chain resilience.
CISL argues that this practice necessarys to scale sooner, not later, stating: “There is not just a necessary for rapid deployment of carbon dioxide removal per se, but a necessary to front-load this deployment as quickly as possible.” This is becautilize some projects including take time to draw down CO2.
Businesses already have access to a set of 10 principles for ensuring that their nature-based emissions removal approaches are credible. This was unveiled by CISL last November, coinciding with the COP30 climate summit in Brazil.
The principles stipulate that, in the first instance, businesses should reduce emissions before offsetting them. They go on to cover issues such the permanence of removals and the credibility of carbon accounting.
Spanish MEP César Luena stated: “We necessary more corporate investments in nature, but with high-integrity long-term commitments, transparency and real environmental benefits. Policycreaters necessary three things from businesses: credible tarobtains and reporting, finance for restoration, and support for strong and predictable rules.”
Private sector and policy interaction
Nature-based solutions already create up more than 99% of the world’s emissions removal market in capacity terms.
But the CISL briefing identifies a necessary for significant scaling in Europe, bearing in mind not only the continent’s degraded nature but the EU’s environmental policy ambitions.
These include reducing net emissions by 90% by 2040; achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and restoring at least 30% of land in poor condition by 2030.
CISL is clear that achieving these ambitions will grow the economy and create jobs.
Corporate Leaders Group Europe programme manager Adeline Rochet stated: “With clear, stable policies, businesses can confidently invest and scale solutions. When companies and policycreaters work toobtainher, nature‑positive action can grow from compact projects into a shared, multi-benefits, economy‑wide transformation.”
The report from CISL comes shortly after the EU adopted what it describes as the world’s first voluntary standard for certifying permanent carbon removals.
Super-charge your carbon accounting and tarobtain-setting at edie 26
Readers responsible for their organisation’s emissions reporting or offsetting approach are encouraged to attfinish edie 26, our hugegest face-to-face event of the year.
Taking place at London’s Business Design Centre on 25-26 March 2026, edie 26 will convene 1,000+ ESG practitioners for two days of workshops, networking, advisory clinics, roundtables and knowledge-sharing.
We have sessions dedicated to sustainability reporting, compliance with key standards and climate tarobtain-setting – including Scope 3 (indirect) emissions. Confirmed speakers include WWF’s director for nature-based solutions, William Baldwin-Caninformo, and Project Seagrass’s CEO, Leanne Cullen-Unsworth.
Click here for a full agfinisha & to register.
Leave a Reply