New Article in Nature – “Europe’s renewable energy directive poised to harm global forests”

Eight climate scientists have authored an article for the prestigious journal Nature which claims that Europe’s renewable energy directive will lead to the severe and long term destruction of global forests. This is already evident in the local and national urban forest maintenance policies of recent years.

In their commentary they raise “concerns regarding the way in which a new European directive, aimed at reaching higher renewable energy targets, treats wood harvested directly for bioenergy use as a carbon-free fuel. The result could consume quantities of wood equal to all Europe’s wood harvests, greatly increase carbon in the air for decades, and set a dangerous global example”.

The article is published online here.