# Low-Carbon Certification Systems in Agriculture: A Review
## 3 Existing Low-Carbon Certification Systems
### EU Countries
#### 3.1.2 Low-Carbon Label (France)  
The low-carbon label (LCL, \"Label bas carbone\" in French) is an official certification label created in 2018 by the French Ministry for the Ecological Transition (MTES) and the Institute for Climate Economics (I4 CE) that aims to reduce GHG emissions in France by 2050 [31; 48]. The label focuses on evaluating and acknowledging projects that successfully reduce GHG emissions, promotes a rigorous and transparent approach to emissions accounting, and emphasizes the importance of the development of robust methodologies and third-party verification (Figure 3). Public consultation is conducted for these methodologies that undergo review by a technical and scientific committee. Upon approval from the regulator, they become official for the Low-Carbon Label (LCL) and can be used by project developers to certify emission reductions. By obtaining the \"Label Bas Carbone\", businesses and projects gain recognition for their efforts in reducing emissions and can establish themselves in the market as leaders in environmental sustainability. The Carbon Gap organization, in its policy brief, highlights the significance of the low-carbon label as a policy instrument for encouraging carbon reduction activities and fostering the transition to a low-carbon society [49]. This label provides a clear and credible signal to consumers, investors, and stakeholders, enabling them to identify products, services, and projects that align with their sustainability goals. It also stimulates innovation and market development in low-carbon sectors by rewarding companies and initiatives that demonstrate emission reduction efforts. The policy brief emphasizes the need for a comprehensive and harmonized approach to low-carbon labeling to ensure consistency and reliability across different certification programs. So far, LCL has established 11 approved low-carbon methods/practices for 5 sectors, including agriculture, forestry, building, transportation, and the maritime industry, while 24 others are still under development. The methodologies developed cover a range of  
Figure 3: LCL certification procedure overview. activities, including (i) Afforestation, Reconstruction of degraded forest stands, Balivage (conversion of coppice into high forest on stumps); (ii) CarbonAgri, Hedges, Plantation of orchards, SOBAC'ECO TMM (developed by the company SOBAC), Ecomethane and Field/Large crops in the field of agriculture; (iii) renovation in construction; (iv) third place in transportation; and (v) Herbariums of Posidonia in the marine domain. In the case of agriculture, LCL is designed based on the Carbon Agri method to recognize and reward farmers and agricultural businesses that implement measures to reduce GHG emissions and contribute to sustainable agricultural production [31; 50] (Figure 4). By obtaining this certification, agribusinesses and farms demonstrate their dedication to mitigating climate change and showcase their efforts to operate in an environmentally responsible manner. In this context, LCL also provides consumers with a recognizable label that signifies the environmental responsibility and carbon consciousness of the purchased agricultural products. The Carbon Agri method is designed to assess and quantify GHG emissions from agricultural activities and to develop a standardized approach for calculating carbon footprints in agriculture [31; 51]. The method focuses on measuring emissions related to agricultural practices, including crop production, livestock management, and the use of inputs such as fertilizers and energy. It takes into account different emission sources, such as enteric fermentation from livestock, manure management, energy use in farming operations, and the release of nitrous oxide from agricultural soils. The Carbon Agri method provides guidelines and specific calculation factors to estimate emissions from various agricultural activities. It considers regional and sector-specific data to ensure accuracy and relevance to the French agricultural context.