March 21st is the International Day of Forests, and while this day is meant to celebrate our wonderful terrestrial ecosystems, we might not have any forests left worth celebrating in the near future.
The EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) is encouraging increased burning of wood for energy and labels this as a sustainable form of energy. But the scientific consensus is that burning biomass accelerates the climate crisis, instead of reducing it.
Much ado about nothing – how the review of EU bioenergy legislation turned into a puff of smoke On July 14, the anniversary of the French Revolution, the European Commission published “Fit-for-55”: a package of proposals designed to revolutionise climate legislation, with the overall aim of reducing the EU’s emissions
The six fatal flaws of the Commission’s draft bioenergy proposals A draft of the Commission’s review of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) was leaked on 16 June. It does nothing to solve any of the serious climate and biodiversity threats posed by the EU’s bioenergy rules. NGOs and scientists insist
Stop subsidising the tree-burning industry: EU Commission study confirms bioenergy is risky for climate and biodiversity As you read this article, trees and crops are being burned for energy in the name of climate action. You see, under EU law, “bioenergy” is supported as if it was a green, zero-carbon
Burning trees is not a climate solution #StopFakeRenewables When you hear the word ‘renewables’ you probably think of solar panels and wind turbines. Clean, carbon-free energy derived from the forces of nature. The truth is that in Europe, more than half of what we call ‘renewable energy’ actually comes from
EU Audit shows agriculture and forestry policy not strong enough to fight climate crisis EU Court of Auditors says agriculture and forestry sectors need to improve EU GHG emissions reporting Greater action and stronger policy is needed in order to meet GHG emission targets The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Europe’s
Fighting deforestation: Efforts to enforce the EU Delegated Act on Biofuels begin to take traction By Luke Edwards, Climate Change and Land Use Policy Officer at BirdLife Europe & Central Asia A landmark decision in February 2019 saw the European Commission produce a delegated act regarding the use of biofuel feedstocks
Why bioenergy is actually bad for our planet By Kenneth Richter, Bioenergy consultant at BirdLife Europe & Central Asia Over 100 organisations from across the globe have published a joint declaration calling on governments, financiers, companies and civil society to halt the expansion of the biomass-based energy industry and to move
What is a ‘Trilogue’ and why it can make or break our forests By Kenneth Richter, Bioenergy consultant at BirdLife Europe & Central Asia. We have been keeping you updated with the developments on European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive and the danger dirty bioenergy poses. The negotiations are now slowly moving
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