Bioenergy is not the green dream solution. Misuse of bioenergy can be disastrous for the climate. Burning whole trees for energy can decrease forest carbon sinks and destroy habitats and livelihoods. This presentation shows you where you can find more information about the risks of unrestricted use of bioenergy, and how they can be addressed.

1. Clean energy has a dirty secret

2. The quest for biomass is destroying forests.
In Europe, wood is more exploited as a renewable
energy than wind or solar power.
Unconstrained bioenergy use increases emissions
and can decrease forest carbon sinks.
Biomass is not the green
dream solution

3. It’s a matter of scale
So where has it all gone
wrong?

4. Forests have multiple
uses, for
• The climate
• Biodiversity
• People
• Materials
• Livelihoods
• Food
There is not enough wood…
When we remove forests, emissions
go up, and biodiversity goes down.
Full
briefing
here:

5. …in Europe…
“850,000 tonnes of biomass are needed annually
from within 400 kilometers of the plant… With 80%
of the biomass expected to come from trees cut for
this purpose.” (see Gardanne case study)
“This project will turn our local wood
sector upside down.” (see Gardanne case study)
Full case
study
here:

6. …or anywhere.
“The wood pellet industry is a
growing threat to North
Carolina’s valuable wetlands,
forests and the life those
ecosystems support.”
(See Drax case study)
“…the Drax company opened two new mills in
Louisiana and Mississippi to convert pine logs into
pellets for shipping to the UK.” (see Drax case study)
Full case
study
here:

7. Burning biomass can be worse
than burning coal…
Carbon released from biomass
heats the planet as effectively as
carbon released from coal.
Full
briefing
here:

8. …accounting for emissions at the
point of harvest doesn’t work…
Carbon accounting rules are flawed
and provide no guarantee of
emissions savings from bioenergy.Full
briefing
here:

9. …and it’s rarely sustainable.
Sustainable Forest Management is a
dangerous delusion. The claim that
SFM can be relied on to protect
Europe’s forests and help achieve a
sustainable bioenergy policy is a
fallacy.
Full
briefing
here:

10. Who has the power to fix this?
Depending on EU policies being written now,
biomass will either help or harm the climate...
NGOs recommendations
to improve the
commission proposal:
EU energy framework
post 2030
Read it here:

11. What are the key asks?
i. Limit incentives to the use of waste and residues,
and exclude burning stumps or stemwood
ii. No support to inefficient electricity production
from biomass or to co-firing biomass with coal
iii. Require small and medium-sized energy plants to
meet sustainability criteria, to ensure most
biomass being burned is environmental and
climate friendly

12. http://www.fern.org/campaign/bioenergy