Info
27 January 2021
by WWF last modified 27 January 2021
A European Commission report concludes that most forest biomass produces more greenhouse gas emissions than coal, oil and gas.
Advertisement
And in 23 out of the 24 scenarios the Commission s Joint Research Centre (JRC) examined, biomass had a negative impact on climate, biodiversity, or both.
Indeed the report, published yesterday, finds that most of the forest biomass currently being burnt for energy in the EU not only increases emissions compared to fossil fuels, but does so for decades - which would imperil the EU s net zero target for 2050 and chances of stopping runaway climate change.
Dr Antonia Leroy is the head of ocean policy at the WWF European Policy Office.
Scientific understanding of the world around us is essential. It allows us to grasp the impacts of human activities, to inform our decisions about how to best preserve our natural world and its ecosystems – of which, we are a part.
We know how crucial scientific advice and evidence are for informing our relationships with our seas.
Which chemicals are toxic to wildlife and must be kept out of the water? How many turtles, dolphins and whales are accidentally caught in fishing nets every year, and how is this affecting their populations? What will the environmental impact of constructing a new port facility be? How many tonnes of fish can we catch within sustainable limits that allow stocks to recover?
WWF rallies behind the call for a New Deal for Nature and People panda.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from panda.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Over the last year, the world has been confronted with a new and overwhelming situation. A global pandemic has forced countries all over the world into repeated lockdowns, almost 1.9 million people have died from COVID-19, 91 million have suffered from the disease and billions have been severely impacted by the social and economic consequences.
While many are hoping for a brighter future in 2021, with vaccinations being distributed and the treatment options for patients vastly improving, it is important to not lose sight of the risk factors for COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Mink farms, where thousands of animals live in close proximity are a breeding ground for the disease. Despite this, fur farms are still operating in several EU-Member states, killing millions of animals every year.
The importance of forests for biodiversity and the need to protect them to prevent future pandemics was emphasised by Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel at the One Planet Summit on Monday (11 January).
“It’s essential that we don’t forget that 30% of the Earth’s surface is covered by forests. These forests account for 80% of biodiversity and, therefore, there’s a serious challenge here,” said Charles Michel, the President of the European Council.
“The challenge is for us to mobilise, to band together, so that we protect forests and manage them in a sustainable fashion,” he added.
“We committed ourselves to protecting primary forests and to planting three billion trees by 2030 and that sends a very strong signal,” Michel said in his speech.