This new report shows that the quantity of wood required to satisfy the European Union’s 20-20-20 target is likely to be too large to be met by increased production within the EU. Member States will have to rely on importing wood products from elsewhere, at the risk of damaging ecosystems in other parts of the world, while actually increasing the EU’s own carbon footprint.
The report is based on an analysis of Member States’ National Renewable Energy Action Plans and import and export statistics and trends. It finds that assuming that the mix of different biomass 'product types' remains the same, Member States will need to use between 50 and 100 per cent more wood than is currently consumed as fuel.