The Global Forest Coalition, which represents more than 100 NGOs and indigenous peoples’ organisations around the world, is accusing the European Commission of forcing stakeholders to choose between harmful fossil fuels and even more harmful biofuels in the public consultation on the possible increase of the EU’s climate target for 2030.
In a letter made public on Tuesday 23 June in lieu of an official response to the consultation, the Global Forest Coalition expresses two concerns: on the one hand, the EU proposes increasing its share of renewable energy to a maximum of 40% by 2030, which it considers painfully insufficient to address the climate emergency. In addition, the EU would continue to allow its renewable energy target to be met by burning wood and biofuels. “We write to express our deep concerns about the impacts of the EU’s promotion of bioenergy, especially through the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), on forests and wildlife, on the climate, and on communities”, write the NGOs.
They regret that these concerns, already expressed in a previous consultation, have not been taken into account. Currently, around 60% of the EU’s renewable energy comes from bioenergy, mainly from wood, followed by biofuels, notably palm oil and soya. To read the letter: https://bit.ly/31iOB5T (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)