Leaked EU renewable energy proposals allow for

greenwashing #EUbioenergyThe proposal: • Includes targets to increase advanced biofuels and

renewable heat which go beyond what can be sustainably supplied.

• Lacks meaningful criteria to ensure bioenergy is produced sustainably.

• Includes no system that guarantees bioenergy delivers robust and verifiable greenhouse gas savings.

Four simple asks to avoid a #biomess:

1. Avoid targets that encourage unsustainable burning of biomass.

2. No incentives to burn whole trees or roundwood.

3. Phase out all use of land-based crops for bioenergy.

4. Keep the ban on subsidies for burning biomass in electricity-only installations.

Who has the power to fix this?

Depending on EU policies being written now, biomass will either help or harm the climate...

Jean-Claude Juncker

President of the European Commission

Frans Timmermans

First Vice President of the European Commission

Maroš Šefčovič

Vice-President of the European Commission,Energy Union

A draft of the future EU renewables policy has been leaked to the press

If left unchanged it could mean 10 more years of EU subsidies for damaging practices

A decision being made now could devastate forests

Tell the EU to step up on sustainability of #EUbioenergy to avoid harming forests and climate.

Click here to tweet.

It’s a matter of scale…

So what are the problems with biomass?

…around 45% of renewable energy is generated by burning wood

Forests have multiple uses, for• The climate• Biodiversity• People• Materials• Livelihoods• Food

But there is not enough wood…

When we remove forests, emissions go up, and biodiversity goes down.

Full briefing

here:

…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:

…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:

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:

…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:

…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.

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