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Stop burning trees to make energy, say 650 scientists before Cop15 biodiversity summit
(The Guardian, 5 Dec 2022) Letter says bioenergy is wrongly deemed ‘carbon neutral’ and contributes to wildlife loss
More than 650 scientists are urging world leaders to stop burning trees to make energy because it destroys valuable habitats for wildlife.
In the buildup to Cop15, the UN biodiversity summit, they say countries urgently need to stop using forest bioenergy to create heat and electricity as it undermines international climate and nature targets. Instead, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar should be used, they say.
Bioenergy has “wrongly been deemed ‘carbon neutral’” and many countries are increasingly relying on forest biomass to meet net zero goals, according to the letter, addressed to world leaders including Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. “The best thing for the climate and biodiversity is to leave forests standing – and biomass energy does the opposite,” it says.
The letter says that if global leaders agree to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030 at the Cop15 meeting in Montreal, they must also commit to ending reliance on biomass energy. Commitments made at Cop15 and at climate conferences could be undermined if this practice continues, it says.
The Guardian, 5 Dec 2022: Stop burning trees to make energy, say 650 scientists before Cop15 biodiversity summit
