One of them is by the International Institute for Sustainability Analysis and Strategy (IINAS), the European Forest Institute and Joanneum Research. It forecasts that the odds are that the planned demand for wood biomass is going to exceed the amount that could be obtained from the European forests in sustainable way. Current policies will cause a considerable pressure on the European and world forests unless the wood scrap from the production and industry in the forestry and agriculture starts being utilized adequately, something standing a slim chance to happen without specific incentives.
The second study – by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) concludes that the amount of land for growing “energy crops” without reallocating food production or damaging valuable habitats is only 1,3million hectares, whilst the European Commission foresees a demand five times larger in 2030. According to the report the amount of land that could be safely dedicated to energy production in the EU, if entirely absorbed by the transport sector, would only provide 1% of the sector’s fuel needs.
The studies also show that unless new safety measures in the renewables policy are introduced, the benefits of bioenergy for alleviation of the climate changes will be highly controversial. If the use of wood biomass for energy is not restricted, the future GHG emissions related to the deforestation will be the same as the annual GHG savings of the EU between 2005 and 2012. Under current policy assumptions, the use of woody bioenergy will take more than 100 years to reduce emissions.
Some studies show that certain biofuels in fact could have a greater carbon footprint compared to traditional fuels. This happens when it is also calculated the impact of the so-called indirect change of land use. It includes deforestation for a change in land purpose aimed at planting “energy crops”.
“It is highly alarming the fact that the struggle with the climate changes is led with decisions which practically exacerbate the problem”, said Sini Eräjää, EU Bioenergy Policy Officer at Birdlife Europe and the European Bureau for Environment.
The studies, commissioned by environmental NGOs Birdlife Europe, the European Environment Bureau (EEB) and Transport & Environment, should trigger a re-think among those who have been eyeing biomass as a cheap and easy way to meet the EU’s climate objectives.
The two studies can be downloaded here: http://bspb.org/bg/news/BirdLife-Europe-Izpolzvaneto-na-durvesina-za-bioenergia-ne-vodi-do-namaliavane-na-parnikovite-emisii.html
BirdLife Europe: Using stemwood for energy will not have delivered GHG savings compared with fossil fuels by 2030
