Making sense of the LULUCF Regulation: Much ado about nothing?

Abstract

The 2030 European Union (EU) climate and energy policy framework includes for the first time a dedicated instrument concerning greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land‐use change and forestry (LULUCF). The new LULUCF Regulation marks a significant expansion of the EU climate and energy acquis, with ramifications for other sensitive areas, such as agriculture, forestry and renewable energy. The Regulation has had a particularly troubled negotiation history. It has already been at the centre of litigation, and is set to be revisited and amended by 2021. This article assesses the role of the Regulation in the 2030 climate and energy policy framework, trying to make sense of its troubled history, with a view to ascertaining whether the scepticism with which it has been welcomed is justified.