- An open letter on forest biomass from scientists and NGOs to policymakers
The future of Europe’s forests should not be decided by a Presidency that has been pushing for years to increase their exploitation – this is an explicit conflict of interest. - Global evidence that big trees are hugely important for mitigating climate change
Logging big trees to replace them with younger, fast-growing trees is a fool’s errand when it comes to climate. - “Is total ecosystem obliteration bad for wildlife?” muse the ecosystem-destroyers (time to #DebunkTheJunk!)
Today’s clearcutting is conducted with heavy equipment weighing 25 to 50 tons each, rolling on large tires that crush the land - Burning salvaged wood should not count as renewable energy
Burning salvaged wood increases emissions compared to fossil fuels and can seriously degrade ecosystems. - Class action lawsuit alleges wood pellet maker Enviva is “engaged in textbook greenwashing”
We’re shocked – shocked! – to hear of Enviva’s “reckless disregard for the truth” - Burning forest biomass undermines climate, health, and nature goals
Rarely do policymakers get an opportunity to do so much by *stopping* doing something. - Wood product manufacturers sound the alarm about burning wood for energyRepresentatives of wood-using industries are showing real fear about their ability to survive, and deep frustration that bioenergy is gobbling up resources and getting subsidised to do so.
- It’s time to transfer billions in biomass subsidies to heat pumps and solar
A single 50 MW biomass electricity plant burns as much wood per year as 180,000 homes – while raking in millions in subsidies that could be supporting truly clean energy - Forest fire CO2 emissions vs. biomass energy emissions – which is worse?What if we told you that the EU is paying people to burn wood that emits more CO2 than these catastrophic fires?
- Hungary presents the worst example what might happen with our forests in EuropeA panicked reaction to the energy crisis means opening up protected areas to uncontrolled logging and rolling back protections.
- Deforestation and forest degradation must both be stopped if we are to save nature
The forest-based industry wants to water down critical EU legislation in order to continue degrading our forests - US climate and democracy skeptics want to dominate EU biomass policyThe lobbying from the US-based tree-burning industry is relentless.
- Parliamentary committee waves through loophole-ridden biomass provisions, setting up clash for Plenary
The gap between what the science shows is needed to save forests and the climate, and what is on the table, is still too wide. - More Logging, More Loopholes: EU Energy Ministers Water Down Proposed Reforms to Biomass Policy in the Renewable Energy Directive (RED)
Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council Waves Through Biomass Subsidies, Continued Habitat Destruction - Sweden’s emissions shell-game will destroy more forests
Do policymakers really believe that shuffling carbon allowances around and cutting more trees actually reduces atmospheric CO2? Newsflash: it doesn’t. - Short webinar: Why policymakers must end incentives for forest biomass in the Renewable Energy Directive
Three talks, half an hour, including shocking news on how land sink in some member states is now a carbon source, due to overlogging. - Replacing just 10% of Russian fossil fuels with wood will obliterate even more forestsReplacing this small fraction would require increasing wood-burning by 60%. Not the “green energy” we had in mind.
- Biomass plant CO2 emissions – an explanation
In which we use fizziks to demonstrate that wood-burning power plants on average emit a lot more CO2 than fossil-fueled plants. - Yes, Finland is devouring its forests for biomass fuel
The evidence that Finland is burning up its carbon sink – and its old-growth forests – couldn’t be clearer. - The US Pellet Industry is Trying to Gut EU Biomass Policy Reforms
The pellet industry won’t tolerate any damned tree-huggers getting between them and their God-given right to log forests for fuel. Policymakers, maybe it’s time to stand up on your hind legs? - The EU is inching closer to ending subsidies for polluting energy – but what about biomass?
In addition to ending subsidies for fossil fuels, EU citizens would probably love to stop paying out over €16 billion per year to bioenergy operators. - Global NGOs warn COP26 that burning forest wood for energy sabotages climate actionThe truth about biomass and wood pellet industry greenwashing
- Drax lies, forests and the climate die
Drax’s entire business model depends on people continuing to play along with the Big Lie that burning biomass has net zero emissions. Our planet’s future depends on rejecting such false solutions. To save ecosystems and the climate, we need to protect and restore forests – not burn them for fuel. - Simple, simple, simple: Two changes that would fix the EU’s dependence on burning trees for “renewable” energy
More than half the wood harvested in the EU is burned for energy. The fastest way to restore forests and reduce emissions is to stop promoting burning forests for fuel. - Estonian NGOs call out DG Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson
The industry language opposing reform of forestry in the EU is remarkably similar to language from DG Energy. Who is working for who?
Forest Defenders Alliance
Forests for life