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Biomass Energy, Forests and Climate Library

Welcome to the Biomass Energy, Forests and Climate library. It has been brought together by the Forest, Climate and Biomass Action Network of the Environmental Paper Network. We want activists, communities, scholars – anyone who’s interested in forest biomass issues – to be able to find all the key resources in one place. So we’ve gathered together key resources that present case studies and explain the science behind biomass energy and its impacts on forests and climate.

If you have any suggestions for resources we should have in this library or any comments about it, please contact us. You may also find our Frequently Asked Questions helpful.

Wood pellet industry harms birds of conservation concern in the U.S. Southeast

The rapidly expanding wood pellet export industry in the southeastern United States is contributing to steep declines in the area’s bird populations by degrading the native forests on which birds depend.

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Organization: SELC - Southern Environmental Law Center

Author: SELC

Date: 2021

Location: a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-faf09b2a9f741977c3aba944cbbc06c8-1";a:1:{i:0;s:23:"Country - United States";}}a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-faf09b2a9f741977c3aba944cbbc06c8-1";a:1:{i:0;s:23:"Country - United States";}}

Language: English

Type of resource: Briefing

Topics:

Satellite images show link between wood pellet demand and increased hardwood forest harvesting

A new satellite image analysis, conducted by researchers at Clark University, shows a strong link between wood pellet demand from Enviva’s mills in North Carolina and Virginia and hardwood forest harvesting in the area. Specifically, the analysis concludes that the area’s ecologically valuable hardwood forests have been harvested at a higher rate since Enviva’s pellet mills started operating and consuming primarily hardwoods and that nearly half of this wood is going to Enviva’s Ahoskie, Northampton, and Southampton mills, likely contributing to overall declines in carbon stocks in the area’s hardwood forests. Additionally, this analysis found—in direct contradiction to repeated industry claims—that from 2001-2016 forest harvesting in Enviva’s sourcing area exceeds growth, resulting in a net loss of forested area.

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Organization: SELC - Southern Environmental Law Center

Author: SELC

Date: 2022

Location: a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-faf09b2a9f741977c3aba944cbbc06c8-1";a:1:{i:0;s:23:"Country - United States";}}a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-faf09b2a9f741977c3aba944cbbc06c8-1";a:1:{i:0;s:23:"Country - United States";}}

Language: English

Type of resource: Briefing

Topics:

Shaping Bioeconomy Strategies in Europe: The Role of Civil Society

This study takes a closer look at the role of civil society in the development and implementation of bioeconomy strategies in the EU, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Italy, France and the Netherlands. While the bio-based industry is well organized and well-funded, civil society involvement in drafting and implementing bioeconomy strategies at EU or member state level has up to now remained limited.

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Organization: denkhausbremen

Author: Wolfgang Kuhlmann

Date: 2022

Location: a:7:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-b09c08cb3771d49a12d79058d15fa99f-1";a:1:{i:0;s:18:"Continent - Europe";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-cdda43176320dfcc542054cef85a247f-1";a:1:{i:0;s:17:"Country - Estonia";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-c253b3ac9477495f2b58a326d3c64770-1";a:1:{i:0;s:17:"Country - Finland";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-c44679d4a91dc267e76188fd1db069f0-1";a:1:{i:0;s:16:"Country - France";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-3d78ffbb694dc80b6f01bf1789dcf0b6-1";a:1:{i:0;s:15:"Country - Italy";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-d679b68deeeb2a3c48a6254b46e8e0a4-1";a:1:{i:0;s:16:"Country - Sweden";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-d17de3cfc53f5420bdf265ec96416516-1";a:1:{i:0;s:25:"Country - the Netherlands";}}a:7:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-b09c08cb3771d49a12d79058d15fa99f-1";a:1:{i:0;s:18:"Continent - Europe";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-cdda43176320dfcc542054cef85a247f-1";a:1:{i:0;s:17:"Country - Estonia";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-c253b3ac9477495f2b58a326d3c64770-1";a:1:{i:0;s:17:"Country - Finland";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-c44679d4a91dc267e76188fd1db069f0-1";a:1:{i:0;s:16:"Country - France";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-3d78ffbb694dc80b6f01bf1789dcf0b6-1";a:1:{i:0;s:15:"Country - Italy";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-d679b68deeeb2a3c48a6254b46e8e0a4-1";a:1:{i:0;s:16:"Country - Sweden";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-d17de3cfc53f5420bdf265ec96416516-1";a:1:{i:0;s:25:"Country - the Netherlands";}}

Language: English

Type of resource: Report

Topics:

Forests to Burn. The Real Cost of Bioenergy

Forests to Burn: The real cost of bioenergy” is the first comprehensive study on forest biomass used in Poland for energy production. The report maps the situation of the market in Poland, answers questions about how much wood we burn and where it comes from. It explains the reasons for biomass market development and the consequences of forest biomass combustion for climate and nature.

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Organization: Pracownia na rzecz Wszystkich Istot

Author: Michał Kolbusz & Augustyn Mikos

Date: 2022

Location: a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-bd1367d520b2d64da2ccc08da03aa100-1";a:1:{i:0;s:16:"Country - Poland";}}a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-bd1367d520b2d64da2ccc08da03aa100-1";a:1:{i:0;s:16:"Country - Poland";}}

Language: English

Type of resource: Report

Topics:

Wind and solar power continue to contribute much more to the UK’s phase out of coal than biomass

In the ten years between 2011 and 2020 the UK almost entirely phased out the use of coal for electricity generation. While bioenergy in the UK has grown during that time period, it has been a far smaller factor in the UK’s coal phase out than either wind and solar or demand reduction. This is despite the UK burning more wood and importing more wood pellets to be burnt than any other country on the planet, and spending billions of pounds of bill-payers’ money on subsidies for the biomass industry.

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Organization: Biofuelwatch

Author: Biofuelwatch

Date: 2022

Location: a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-e246585a088e8d94a851d71958eab490-1";a:1:{i:0;s:12:"Country - UK";}}a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-e246585a088e8d94a851d71958eab490-1";a:1:{i:0;s:12:"Country - UK";}}

Language: English

Type of resource: Report

Topics:

Our message to world leaders: Cut ties with Drax’ “Green Energy Scandal”

A video message to world leaders: Cut ties with Drax' "Green Energy Scandal"

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Organization: Stand.Earth

Author: Stand.Earth

Date: 2022

Location: a:2:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-e246585a088e8d94a851d71958eab490-1";a:1:{i:0;s:12:"Country - UK";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-fb256e59537c0f1d168c4285a2667dd8-1";a:1:{i:0;s:16:"Country - Canada";}}a:2:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-e246585a088e8d94a851d71958eab490-1";a:1:{i:0;s:12:"Country - UK";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-fb256e59537c0f1d168c4285a2667dd8-1";a:1:{i:0;s:16:"Country - Canada";}}

Language: English

Type of resource: Video

Topics:

Enviva Inc

The activist investment firm Blue Orca Capital published a damning report on Enviva, asserting that the firm is engaged in “textbook greenwashing”

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Organization: Blue Orca Capital

Author: Blue Orca Capital

Date: 2022

Location: a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-4945e049adc7d67d822b5ea5e4bf740e-1";a:1:{i:0;s:9:"Worldwide";}}a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-4945e049adc7d67d822b5ea5e4bf740e-1";a:1:{i:0;s:9:"Worldwide";}}

Language: English

Type of resource: Report

Topics:

EU-Subventionen für Pellets :Europa auf dem Holzweg

In Europas Kohlekraftwerken werden immer mehr Pellets verbrannt – subventioniert durch die EU. Dass das so bleibt, dafür sorgt auch die Holzlobby.

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Organization: Taz

Author: Franziska Gerneth

Date: 2023

Location: a:2:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-b09c08cb3771d49a12d79058d15fa99f-1";a:1:{i:0;s:18:"Continent - Europe";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-92e64c2d02f67b319663c53962b20863-1";a:1:{i:0;s:17:"Country - Germany";}}a:2:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-b09c08cb3771d49a12d79058d15fa99f-1";a:1:{i:0;s:18:"Continent - Europe";}s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-92e64c2d02f67b319663c53962b20863-1";a:1:{i:0;s:17:"Country - Germany";}}

Language: German

Type of resource: Briefing

Topics:

Analysis on biomass in National Energy and Climate Plans

EU renewable energy policies consider bioenergy as a renewable form of energy. Today, bioenergy accounts for around 55 percent of renewable energy in the EU, and woody biomass provides the lion share (75%) of bioenergy energy consumption in the EU. This report analyses the use of biomass in National Energy and Climate Plans.

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Organization: Trinomics for Fern

Author: Matthew Smith, Anna Kralli, Peter Lemoine

Date: 2021

Location: a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-b09c08cb3771d49a12d79058d15fa99f-1";a:1:{i:0;s:18:"Continent - Europe";}}a:1:{s:64:"wpcf-fields-checkboxes-option-b09c08cb3771d49a12d79058d15fa99f-1";a:1:{i:0;s:18:"Continent - Europe";}}

Language: English

Type of resource: Report

Topics: