Biomass Energy, Forests and Climate Library

Exploration of the time taken for the substituion of forest bioenergy for fossil fuels to start having a net beneficial impact on atmospheric CO2. This shows that for anything other than forest residues, the time is long and very uncertain.

Case study report highlighting how "sustainable forest management" has no clear definition and is frequently not sustainable as well as pointing out that discussing SFM is a distraction from the bigger issue: If you harvest a tree from a sustainable forest and burn it for energy, it doesn’t mean the energy is either sustainable or climate-neutral. The way biomass a limited resource is used rather than how forests are managed is the key issue here.

Analysis of the land use impacts of different energy sources, which concludes that biofuels would affect the largest area of land - and that energy efficiency is critically important.

An analysis comparing woody biomass and coal energy production which concludes that energy from woody biomass is not carbon neutral and can have negative environmental effects.

A range of scenarios of the possible impact of woody biomass production for energy in North Carolina, which highlights the overlap between areas that are critical for biodiversity with those most likely to be affected by woody biomass production.

Report on forests and climate that concludes that treating forests as an unlimited, renewable, extractable commodity that can support infinite growth in the forest products industry is an outdated business model that must yield to a new way of doing business that values standing forests.

Video demonstrating the impact of European renewable energy directives on forest destruction.

Analysis of 20 "natural climate solutions" to explore their possible impact on climate change mitigation, which concludes that they can make a major contribution. Solutions include forest and wetland protection and avoiding natural habitat conversion.

Analysis of the feasibility of using managed biomass growth and subsequent carbon capture and storage to remove carbon dioxide. It concludes that it is not a viable alternative to substantial emissions reduction - the human and environmental impacts would be too large.

Short film explaining the importance of forests in mitigating climate change and European countries' records on the issue.

Short film explaining the problems with biomass and European renewable energy policy.

Analysis of the relationship between biomass and coal, including evidence that biomass subsidies indirectly support coal generation.

Paper that identifies what the EEB considers to be "burnable" only sources that produce very low GHG emissions that take both direct and indirect emissions into account.

Paper that explains why the use of land for purpose-grown biofuel crops is counterproductive in climate terms, focusing on ILUC and forgone sequestration.

Research report from the EU's national academies of science that highglihgts the importance of forests for both biodiversity and climate and hence the dangers of using forests for biomass energy.