Scientist Letter regarding the need for climate smart forest management

Over 550 scientists have signed a letter addressing to the presidents of the three main European institutions, alerting them of the deteriorating state of European forests and calling for climate-smart forestry practices – including wood harvesting for bioenergy – to consolidate their resilience to global warming.

 

The letter highlights the important role that woody biomass from sustainably managed forests can play in climate change mitigation, delivering a fossil fuel-free energy future, and maintaining healthy forests.

 

“With proper forest management the use of wood for energy is a co-product of harvest and of the processing of wood for products. The use of wood for energy can substitute fossil energy and is a significant part of climate protection policy in all European countries” the scientists write, saying there are sufficient volumes of by-products such as tree tops, residues and recycled wood available to secure renewable energy supply.

This initiative is in line with the action of the ETIP Bioenergy Platform in supporting the use of forest biomass for energy purposes. A high number among the signatories are involved in the ETIP Bioenergy Platform at various levels.