News
Between sovereignty and extraction, bioenergy in rural areas
Rural development and helping farmers has been a motive to promote bioenergy on the premise that it offers new economic opportunities in rural communities while increasing renewable energy use. The reality is that a good share of the bioenergy pushed for this purpose hasn’t necessarily supported these rural communities, nor has it exactly been sustainable or renewable. Spanish NGO Ecologistas en Accion share their views on how bioenergy can be an environmentally sustainable choice while supporting rural communities.
Green Invasion
Green Invasion By guest author Fred Pearce, author and journalist Europe’s once peaceful forests are being invaded – in the name of green energy. To meet European Union policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting renewable electricity and heating, governments from France to Romania are providing huge subsidies for
Is the EC taking bad biofuels out of the picture?
Is the EC taking bad biofuels out of the picture? By Cristina Mestre, Climate and Biofuels Officer, Transport & Environment July 20th was marked in bright red in many of our calendars. While waving some colleagues off on their long-awaited summer break, we were waiting for the launch of the European
Bioenergy emissions, just counting isn’t enough
Bioenergy emissions, just counting isn’t enough By Sini Eräjää, Policy Officer EU Bioenergy, Birdlife Europe and Central Asia and the European Environmental Bureau As the European Commission published its new climate policy this week to address emissions from land and forests (LULUCF), the Commission also stated that the new proposal
European Court of Auditors slams Commission’s scheme for sustainability of biofuels
European Court of Auditors slams Commission’s scheme for sustainability of biofuels The European Court of Auditors, an independent EU body that keeps an eye on the performance of EU spending, just published a special report on the sustainability of biofuels in the EU. The report straightforwardly concludes that the way
Urban biowaste, a sustainable source of bioenergy?
Urban biowaste, a sustainable source of bioenergy? By guest author Mariel Vilella, Associate Director/Climate, Energy and Air Pollution Programme, Zero Waste Europe Although most bioenergy is produced by burning agricultural and forestry biomass, it is also generated by burning the organic parts of municipal solid waste, biowaste or urban biomass. This
Honeymoon is over for biomass in Flanders
Honeymoon is over for biomass in Flanders By guest author Sara Van Dyck, Bond Beter Leefmilieu, Belgium Looks like the biomass honeymoon is over as the skyrocketing price tag of large biomass plants has led to a U-turn in Flemish renewable energy policy. The Flemish government has just cancelled the
Biofuels, doesn’t look like France is learning from mistakes
Biofuels, doesn’t look like France is learning from mistakes By guest author Camille Dorioz, Chargé de mission agriculture, FNE and Cyrielle Denhartigh, Responsible at Agriculture et Alimentation, RAC France can be viewed as the nerve center of European biofuels production. Thanks to lobbying by the national agricultural sector and agroindustry, biofuels only
Corn mania, the absurd hunger for bioenergy in Germany
Corn mania, the absurd hunger for bioenergy in Germany By guest author Dr. Uwe Baumert, expert for renewable energies, Regional Deputy Chairman, NABU-Lower Saxony One can see that landscapes have been changing in Germany as wild herbs, cows and insects disappear, especially across grasslands. Why? It’s because of “corn-mania” or
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