Position Statement on Forest Biomass Energy
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We share a vision of a world in which thriving natural forests play a significant role in tackling climate change and contribute to a clean, healthy, just and sustainable future for all life on earth. Burning forest wood for large-scale energy production cannot be part of that future for all of the reasons outlined below. Instead we must protect and restore natural forests, thereby reducing emissions and removing atmospheric carbon dioxide while supporting biodiversity, resilience and well-being.
Large-scale burning of forest biomass for energy:
Harms the climate
It is not low carbon – Burning forest biomass for energy is not carbon neutral. It immediately emits large quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In contrast it takes decades to centuries for forests to regrow and sequester the carbon, which is far too long to effectively contribute to the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target. Direct and indirect emissions from logging and the bioenergy supply chain also negatively affect its overall carbon balance.
It is encouraged by flawed accounting – Current carbon accounting rules incentivise forest bioenergy by considering biomass combustion as a zero-emission technology, expressed as zero emissions in the energy sector. The assumption is that all emissions are instead to be accounted for when the biomass is logged, placing the burden on the forest producer rather than the biomass consumer. Yet emissions accounting of forests in the land sector is fatally flawed and generally understates emissions. The true carbon cost of biomass burning rarely appears accurately on any country’s balance sheet.
Harms forests
It threatens biodiversity and climate resilience – Using forest biomass for energy can entrench, intensify and expand logging. This degrades forest ecosystems, depletes biodiversity and soils and harms forests’ ability to deliver ecosystem services like clean drinking water, flood protection, and clean air. Conversion of forests and other ecosystems to industrial monoculture tree plantations for biomass is especially harmful. These increased impacts come at a time when we recognise that rights-based protection and ecological restoration improve the health and well-being of forests and make them more resilient to climate change and other environmental disturbances.
It undermines the climate mitigation potential of forests – To meet the Paris Agreement goal of pursuing efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, scientists now agree we will need to draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. A safe and proven way to do this is to protect and restore natural forests. Logging for biomass does the opposite.
Harms people
It undermines community rights and interests – Demand for biomass can exacerbate conflicts over land and forest resources, including land grabbing. This threatens rights, interests, lives, livelihoods and cultural values of indigenous and tribal peoples and local communities as well as established businesses relying on forest resources. The wide-ranging negative effects can also impact food security for the wider populace and for the long term.
It harms human health and well-being – Forests play an important role in safeguarding communities from the worst impacts of climate change. Those living at the front-lines of forest destruction are often most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and also face oppressive extractive industries. In addition, biomass manufacturing and combustion facilities are often located in areas of socio-economic disadvantage, where they pollute the air, increasing incidents of respiratory and other diseases. Local quality of life is affected.
Harms the clean energy transition
It provides a life-line for burning coal for energy production – Co-firing forest biomass with coal extends the life of coal power stations at a time when we need to move beyond emissive, industrial scale burning.
It pulls investment away from other renewables – Biomass undermines less emissive renewable energy solutions because it competes for the same government incentives. Unlike investment in low emission technologies, such as wind and solar, biomass energy entails ongoing feedstock costs and relies on continuous subsidies.
We, the undersigned organisations, believe that we must move beyond burning forest biomass to effectively address climate change. We call on governments, financiers, companies and civil society to avoid expansion of the forest biomass based energy industry and move away from its use. Subsidies for forest biomass energy must be eliminated. Protecting and restoring the world’s forests is a climate change solution, burning them is not.
To join these organisations in endorsing the Statement and working together, please confirm that you have read the statement and an endorsement form will appear. Please note that we only accept signatories from civil society organisations and do not accept signatories from individuals or representatives of businesses or industry.
Complete list of signatories, in alphabetical order:
Abibinsroma Foundation | Ghana |
Acréscimo | Portugal |
Adéquations | France |
Aksi! | Indonesia |
All India Forum of Forest Movements | India |
Alliance for a Clean Environment, Western Australia | Australia |
Alliance for the Wild Rockies | USA |
AMAF – Benin | Benin |
Amis de la Terre – Togo | Togo |
Aniban ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (AMA) | Philippines |
ARA | Germany |
Arise for Social Justice – Springfield | USA |
Arnhems Peil | Netherlands |
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development | Asia Pacific |
Australian Forest and Climate Alliance | Australia |
Australian Rainforest Conservation Society | Australia |
Ballina Environment Society | Australia |
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association | Bangladesh |
BankTrack | Europe |
Battle Creek Alliance | USA |
Bellingen Environment Centre, NSW | Australia |
Biodiversity Conservation Center | Russia |
Biofuelwatch | International |
Biomass Action Group | Australia |
Birdlife | Europe |
Blue Dalian | China |
Bob Brown Foundation | Australia |
Busselton Dunsborough Environment Centre, WA | Australia |
Caldera Environment Centre | Australia |
California Chaparral Institute | USA |
Canberra Forest Network, ACT | Australia |
Canopee | France |
Canopy | Canada |
Castlemaine Residents Against Biomass | Australia |
Censat Agua – Amigos de la Tierra Colombia | Colombia |
Center for Biologial Diversity | USA |
City Compost | United States |
Civic Response | Ghana |
Clarence Environment Centre, NSW | Australia |
Client Earth | UK |
CNAS Center for Natur, Arbejde og Samfund | Denmark |
Coastal Plain Conservation Group | USA |
Coffs Harbour Greens | Australia |
Colectivo VientoSur | Chile |
Comité Schone Lucht | Netherlands |
Concerned citizens of Franklin County | USA |
Conservation Congress | USA |
Conservatree | USA |
Czech Coalition for Rivers | Czech Republic |
Defiance Canyon Raptor Rescue | USA |
Denkhausbremen | Germany |
Doctors and Scientists against Wood Smoke Pollution | International |
Dogwood Alliance | USA |
Don’t Waste Arizona | USA |
Earth Ethics | USA |
Earth Thrive | Serbia / UK |
Ecology Action Centre | Canada |
Econexus | UK |
EDSP | Netherlands |
Endangered Species Coalition | USA |
Environics Trust | India |
Environment East Gippsland | Australia |
Estonian Forest Aid | Estonia |
Estonian Green Movement | Estonia |
Europe Beyond Burning | Europe |
Extinction Rebellion Hawaii | USA |
Extinction Rebellion UK | UK |
Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN) | Nepal |
FERN | Europe |
Forest Conservation Victoria | Australia |
Forest Media, NSW | Australia |
Forest observatory | Morocco |
Forests of the World | Denmark |
Forum Ecologie & Papier | Germany |
Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung | Germany |
Fresnans against Fracking | USA |
Friends of Siberian Forests | Russia |
Friends of the Earth Bosnia & Herzegovina | Bosnia & Herzegovina |
Friends of the Earth Finland | Finland |
Friends of the Earth Japan | Japan |
Friends of the Earth U.S.A. | USA |
Friends of the Forest, mid South coast NSW | Australia |
Friends of the Wild Swan | USA |
Fund for Wild Nature | USA |
Fundacja “Rozwój TAK – Odkrywki NIE | Poland |
Geasphere | South-Africa |
Gelderse Natuur en Milieufederatie | Netherlands |
GEOS Institute | USA |
Gesellschaft fur okologische Forschung e V. | Germany |
Global Energy Monitor | United States |
Global Forest Coalition | International |
Global Justice Ecology Project | United States |
Goongerah Environment Centre (GECO) | Australia |
Great Southern Forest, NSW | Australia |
Green Longjiang | China |
Green Transition Denmark | Denmark |
GreenLatinos | USA |
Greenpeace International | International |
Healthy Forest Coalition, Nova Scotia | Canada |
Henoi | Paraguay |
High Cairn Films | USA |
Himalaya Niti Abhiyan | India |
Humane Society International Australia | Australia |
Indigenous Environmental Network | USA |
Iniciativa Amotocodie | Paraguay |
Institute for Development Policy | Kosovo |
Instytut Spraw Obewatelskich INSPRO | Poland |
Jamesville Positive Action Committee | USA |
John Muir Project | USA |
Kalang Land and Environment Action Network, NSW | Australia |
Kalang River Forest Alliance, NSW | Australia |
Landelijk Netwerk Bossen en Bomenbescherming | Netherlands |
Landelijk Netwerk Bossen- en Bomenbescherming | Netherlands |
Last Tree Laws | USA |
Leefmilieu | Netherlands |
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation | USA |
Les Amis de la Terre – Togo | Togo |
Life of the Land | USA |
Lismore Environment Centre | Australia |
Los Padres ForestWatch | USA |
Luonto-Liitto | Finland |
Margaret River Regional Environment Centre, WA | Australia |
Massachusetts Forest Rescue | USA |
Mekong Watch | Japan |
Mighty Earth | USA |
Milieudefensie | Netherlands |
My Environment, Vic | Australia |
Nambucca Valley Conservation Association, NSW | Australia |
Nannas for Native Forests | Australia |
National Adivasi Alliance | India |
National Forum for Advocacy, Nepal | Nepal |
National Toxics Network, Australia | Australia |
Natural Resources Defense Council | USA |
Nature Conservation Council of NSW | Australia |
Nature Nova Scotia | Canada |
NGO Forum on ADB | Asia Pacific region |
Nimbin Environment Centre, NSW | Australia |
No Electricity from Forests | Australia |
NOAH (FoE Denmark) | Denmark |
North Coast Environment Council, NSW | Australia |
North Columbia Environmental Society | USA |
North East Forest Alliance, NSW | Australia |
Pakaid | Pakistan |
Partnership for Policy Integrity | USA |
Pivot Point | USA |
Protect the Forest | Sweden |
Public Lands Media | USA |
Rachel Carson Council | USA |
Rainforest Action Network | USA |
Rainforest Information Centre | Australia |
Rainforest Relief | USA |
Renourish | USA |
Reseda scsi onlus | Italy |
Restore: The North Woods | USA |
Rettet de Regenwald | Germany |
RICCE | Liberia |
RootsKeeper | USA |
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia) | Malaysia |
Salva la Selva | Spain |
Santa Fe Forest Coalition | USA |
Save Brook Rd. Forest in WEndell State Forest | USA |
Sequoia ForestKeeper | USA |
Sierra Club | USA |
Sierra Club BC | Canada |
Snow Alliance | China |
Society for Responsible Design | Australia |
Society for Wetland Biodiversity Conservation Nepal | Nepal |
Soil Mates Cooperative | Canada |
Solutions For Our Climate | South Korea |
South East Forest Alliance | Australia |
South East Forest Rescue | Australia |
South East Region Conservation Alliance | Australia |
South-West Forests Defence Foundation, WA | Australia |
Southern Environmental Law Center | USA |
Southern Forests Conservation Coalition | USA |
STAND.earth | USA |
Stichting Luchtfonds | Netherlands |
Sunray harvesters | India |
Sustainable Agriculture and Communities Alliance | Australia |
Swan View Coalition, Montana | USA |
Terra! | Italy |
The Climate Reality Project, South Carolina Upstate | USA |
The Corner House | UK |
The Development Institute | Ghana |
The John Muir Project | USA |
Timberwatch Coalition | South Africa |
Trend Asia | Indonesia |
TUK Indonesia | Indonesia |
UK Youth Climate Coalition | UK |
VOICE | Bangladesh |
Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) | Indonesia |
Western Australian Forest Alliance | Australia |
Wild Europe | Europe |
Wild Heritage | USA |
Wild Nature Institute | USA |
Wilderness Society | Australia |
WildWest Institute | USA |
Women’s Environment & Development Organization | USA – International |
Womens Earth and Climate Action Network | US & International |
Woodland League | Ireland |
Woods Hole Research Center | USA |
Wuhu Ecology Centre | China |
Yellowstone to Uintas Connection | USA |
ZERO | Portugal |