About: bioenergy
‘Enough with the burning’: EU executive accused of sacrificing forests
The European Commission has been accused of “sacrificing forests” after it published proposals that would allow trees to continue to be burned for fuel. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.
Europe fiddles while forests burn
The European Commission's approach to using forest wood for energy could prove a faux pas ahead of the COP26 UN climate summit in November, a dangerous move which contradicts the findings of the EU executive's own research department, writes Peg Putt.
How the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive risks destroying Europe’s forests
If the Europe Union doesn’t want an explosion in the amount of wood being harvested for “renewable heat”, it’s essential that the bugs in the Renewable Energy Directive are fixed, write Samuel Thomas, Dominic Scott and Dr Jan Rosenow.
We can’t burn our way out of the climate crisis
In its new Net Zero scenario, the International Energy Agency (IEA) maps a 60% increase in bioenergy by 2050. But Swapping burning wood for burning coal won’t save the climate, warns Peg Putt.
IEA criticised over growing share of bioenergy in net-zero scenario
The International Energy Agency (IEA) published a new energy scenario on Tuesday (18 May), modelling for the first time how the world can achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and limit global warming to 1.5ºC.
Brussels rebuked over ‘confusing’ draft EU bioenergy rules
The European Commission was sent back to the drawing board on the EU's renewable energy directive overhaul after an internal assessment of its draft proposal concluded that it failed to analyse the potential environmental risks of increased bioenergy use.
LEAK: EU’s draft renewables law confirms 38-40% target for 2030
An early draft of the EU’s upcoming renewable energy directive confirms the bloc’s objective of sourcing 38-40% of its energy from renewables by 2030, roughly doubling the share of solar, wind and other renewables in Europe’s energy mix by the end of the decade.
NGOs walk out on EU green finance group over forestry, bioenergy rules
The WWF and several other NGOs have decided to suspend their participation in the European Commission’s Sustainable Finance Platform in protest against what they see as weak and “unscientific” criteria for bioenergy and forestry in the EU’s green finance taxonomy.
LEAK: EU taxonomy draft leaves bioenergy and forestry off the hook
The European Commission has decided to leave out agriculture but kept controversial criteria for bioenergy and forestry in the first batch of proposed implementing rules due to be presented on Wednesday (21 April) as part of the EU’s green finance taxonomy, EURACTIV has learned.OpinionPromoted content
Carbon capture: one technology for many routes to net-zero
Uniquely placed to cut emissions in many sectors − and enable greater use of renewables − carbon capture and storage (CCS) needs more political backing if we are to stand any chance of reaching net-zero emissions. Kenji Terasawa is the...
‘Win-win or lose-lose’: EU scientists highlight two-faced bioenergy policies
Around 14% of bioenergy used in Europe is of unknown origin, according to an EU report, which highlights the need to improve the tracing of wood burned for electricity production.
Denmark proposes pathway for ‘sustainable’ biomass
The Danish government and a majority coalition of eight parties have proposed stricter legal requirements for wood biomass, used for heat and electricity in the country.
EU climate plan blows hot and cold on forestry, biomass
While recognising the positive role of forests in mitigating global warming, the European Commission has riled the agroforestry and biomass industries by stating its intention of limiting growth in the sector.
How the EU could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on climate
The European Commission's commendable move to aim for emission reductions of "at least 55%" by 2030 risks being completely undermined if the target also takes into account “reductions and removals” from forest growth and tree planting schemes, warns Bert Metz.
Scientists call on EU to ‘correct’ biomass carbon accounting rules
Europe's academies of science have called on EU lawmakers to introduce a “radically new standard” in the bloc's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to ensure net carbon emissions from biomass power stations are “properly accounted for and declared”.
The Dutch have decided: Burning biomass is not sustainable
The Netherlands should phase out the use of biomass for generating electricity as soon as possible, the advisory board of the Dutch government said in a report presented earlier this month.
‘Not all biomass is carbon neutral’, industry says
Leading industry figures acknowledge that not all biomass brings benefits to the climate, insisting that only low-value wood and forest residues should make the cut under EU law.
EU plans sweeping bioenergy review by end 2020
The European Commission intends to push a “transformative approach” to all forms of bioenergy – including biofuels and woody biomass – as part of a biodiversity strategy due to be unveiled on Wednesday (20 May).
Sweden’s forest crimes
Sweden presents itself as a global torchbearer on the environment, but its forest policy is wreaking havoc. The EU must act to stop it, say five European NGOs.
Bioeconomy in the CAP’s nine objectives
Bioeconomy will play a crucial role in delivering the European Union's environmental and climate neutrality agenda. The farm sector is no exception and at least half of the nine objectives of the post-2020 EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) relate directly to this concept.
MEP: Clean technology mix needed to decarbonise transport
Decarbonising transport is an enormous challenge and there will be a need to deploy a mix of clean technologies to accelerate the transition to a sustainable system, MEP Seán Kelly told EURACTIV.com.
Bioenergy, forestry sectors jump on EU’s green finance bandwagon
Bioenergies, including wood, biofuels and forest-based industries, should be recognised under the EU’s draft sustainable finance taxonomy, in line with the recently-updated renewable energy directive, an industry coalition has claimed.
Solar CEO: ‘Heating electrification is one of the biggest mistakes of the energy transition’
Wind and solar photovoltaic are way too small to cope with Europe's massive demand for heating, especially in winter, says Christian Holter who calls for allocating scarce renewable energy resources to economic sectors where they can bring the most in terms of carbon reduction.