Countries need to stop using forest bioenergy to create heat and electricity urgently because it undermines international climate and nature targets, the scientists say. Instead they should use renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
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 the US president, Joe Biden; the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak; and the EU president, Ursula von der Leyen.
"The best thing for the climate and biodiversity is to leave forests standing - and biomass energy does the opposite." 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.
This story is from the December 05, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 05, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
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