This episode takes a closer look at the role of wood, specifically when it is beneficial to use as a renewable energy source and material in our fight against climate change - and when it is not.

Although wood is often perceived as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels - a preconception still widely present in political debates around Europe - there are significant negative impacts associated with burning wood for energy purposes, such as higher carbon emissions and deforestation.

In order to better understand the complex synergies that the use of wood can have on the climate and the environment, we will look at a study by the Shift Project to identify the most climate-friendly applications of wood and which technological alternatives exist to help us reach carbon-neutrality without cutting down our green forests.

Sources:

Draft report by European Parliament (ITRE, Markus Pieper) on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive of the EU, 14 February 2021: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/ITRE-PR-719550_EN.pdf

Letter regarding use of forests for bioenergy, 11 February 2021: https://www.wwf.eu/?2128466%2F500-scientists-tell-EU-to-end-tree-burning-for-energy 

Lallemand et Guérin (2017): Quel avenir pour la forêt européenne face au changement climatique et à l’objectif de neutralité carbone? (French only) http://documents.irevues.inist.fr/bitstream/handle/2042/65341/RFF_2017_69_3_259_271_lallemand.pdf?sequence=1 

Plan de transformation de l’économie française: Focus sur la forêt et le bois, The ShiftProject (French only): https://theshiftproject.org/plan-de-transformation-de-leconomie-francaise-focus-sur-la-foret-et-le-bois/

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