MEPs at the Environment Committee voted in favour to make mandatory accounting for farm and forestry emissions. They also recommended a future obligation to account for emissions from wetlands. The draft legislation explicitly does not put any administrative burden on "private parties" such as farmers or forest managers.

Environment MEPs backed a draft legislation that should require Member States to account for emissions and removals not only in forestry - as agreed at international level - but also in management of land for crops and grazing. They also recommended a future obligation to account for emissions from wetlands. The European Commission proposed these accounting rules for greenhouse gas emissions and removals in the forest and agriculture sectors in March 2012.

With 36 votes in favour, 13 against and 1 abstention, the draft legislation received wide cross-party support in the Environment Committee. It follows an agreement at the UN climate summit in Durban last December. MEPs stressed that the draft legislation explicitly does not put any administrative burden on "private parties" such as farmers or forest managers.

Member States should also prepare land use change and forestry (LULUCF) Action Plans to describe and project trends for emissions and removal of greenhouse gases, highlighted MEPs. The plans should also analyse the potential to curb emissions and increase removals and set out the policies and timetable for action.