A new report out today finds that using forest timber (biomass) for heating,ย electricity generation or liquid โbiofuelโ could severely harm forests and accelerate globalย warming.
The report titled, Fuelling a Biomess, and authored by Greenpeace Canada, points toย scientific evidence showing how using forests for energy can be worse for the climate than burningย coal.ย
The US is set to overtake Canada as the worldโs biggest exporter of wood pellets, which are used in power plants and burnt instead of fossilย fuels.
The reportย recommends:
- Using woody biomass for energy production should be restricted to a local, small-scale use of millย residues.
- Approval of new wood-based bioenergy projects should cease, pending public hearings, a full accounting of the life-cycle climate and biodiversity footprints, and a re-thinking of governmentย policies.ย
You can read a complete version of the report here: Fueling a Biomess, burning trees for energy puts Canadian forests and climate atย risk.
[Note: a big warm hello to all the DeSmog readers! Been a while since I have written here, but I think I have the time to do soย now.]
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