Page 43 - European Energy Innovation - Spring 2017 publication
P. 43
Spring 2017 European Energy Innovation 43
EUROPEAN FORESTS
wood in the transition to a fossil-free 1. Increasing demand for forest- UNTAPPED POTENTIAL
bioeconomy. based bioenergy does not put our There is further potential for increasing
forests at risk the mobilization of domestically
We need to remember that forests European forests are sustainably sourced biomass from sustainable
are our largest non-food renewable managed regardless of the forests by for example increasing
resource and an actively managed functions they fulfill and the end market demand for lower quality
forest is better for the climate. It is use of the biomass produced. We assortments. It is possible to more
kept in vigorous growth, maintaining have a comprehensive legislative efficiently use low quality wood and
carbon sequestration and offering framework in place to ensure the forest residues, while at the same
renewable timber resources and sustainable management of forests. time improving the resilience of forest
bioenergy to replace fossils. The Moreover, forest owners have ecosystems and strengthening the
green carbon is circulating in the absolutely no interest in destroying economic performance of forestry and
natural forest carbon cycle, which is their own forest. On the contrary, the forest-based sector.
maintained and can be enhanced by a strong wood demand provides
forest management. This offers us the right incentive to forest owners In addition to the aspects related
an opportunity to replace the black to invest into sustainable forest to climate change mitigation by
carbon and stop introducing new fossil management and mobilise their replacing fossil-based energy sources,
emissions into our system. wood. In the EU, we harvest around bioenergy from locally-sourced
65% of the annual growth. Since the biomass can contribute towards
FORESTS IN THE EU 2030 CLIMATE introduction of RED in 2009, and the achieving the objectives of the Energy
AND ENERGY FRAMEWORK subsequent introduction of support Union by improving energy security,
The RED Recast introduces for the first schemes for bioenergy, we have not supporting rural development through
time sustainability criteria for forest seen this alleged devastation of our green growth and employment and
biomass, despite the fact that Member forests. In fact, harvest levels in the developing a sustainable bioeconomy.
States have in place rigorous legal EU have declined or stagnated in
frameworks to ensure the sustainable the past 8 years. Going forward, let us keep the forest
management of forests. It is now of in sight when transitioning our society
utmost importance that this does 2. Bioenergy demand does not to tackle climate change. Not only
not in practice mean additional legal drive forest harvests should we love our multifunctional
and administrative constraints on Bioenergy from forests is part of forests, we also need to recognize
the manifold use of forest biomass. an integrated use of wood, where the power and drivers of the millions
This holds true also in the LULUCF different parts of a tree is used for of individuals and families who are
framework, which needs to take different things. How a certain part investing in, managing and taking care
into account the biological reality of of a tree is used depends both on of this crucial natural resource. Without
forest ecosystems, where net carbon its type and quality, but also on these people and their engagement
removals are ensured when harvesting dynamic societal and market needs, on the ground, we would lose out on
does not exceed the long term growth. which are in turn dependent on the multitude of benefits which we are
the development of technology all so much in need of. l
In the discussions on the Commission’s and innovation. Europe’s forest
Clean Energy Package, we have seen owners are managing their forests Bioenergy from forests help
many alarmistic messages about for multiple products and purposes, decarbonize Europe
European forests being destroyed where high-value sawn timber is the Forests play a key role in meeting
because of bioenergy use and that it most important from an economic
is better to use coal (!) than bioenergy. point of view. To give an example, the EU renewable energy
Unfortunately, a simplistic black and when a forest owner in Sweden
white picture has been painted, where sells her wood, 70% of the income objectives. Currently, bioenergy
bioenergy has been portrayed as all bad. comes from timber, 27% from pulp
wood and only 3% from bioenergy. represents 63% of renewable
However, as is mostly the case, Artificially regulating the market
nothing is black or white. In order to by imposing restrictions, such as energy consumption and forest
understand forest-based bioenergy, placing a cap on biomass use or
there is a need to look at the full imposing a compulsory cascading biomass is the most important
picture of how forests are managed principle, would be not only
and used and a few misconceptions unfeasible to implement but also bioenergy feedstock in the EU,
concerning forests and bioenergy endanger the sustainable use of
need to be clarified: biomass. representing around 70% of of
bioenergy consumption. With 97%
of this biomass being sourced
within the EU, bioenergy is a truly
local energy source.
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