American citizens to EU Commission: “Stop cutting our forests”

pellets
Pellets © GreenConnect

Over 50 000 US citizens are appealing to European Commissioners Arias Cañete and Vella for a change in the EU legislation that has caused a boom in the demand for wood pellets produced from Southern US forests [1]. Their demand is today being delivered to the European Commission by BirdLife Europe and the European Environmental Bureau.

Southern US forests are being logged to feed Europe's appetite for energy produced by wood pellets burned in biomass power plants. A loophole in European laws designed to promote clean energy has prompted massive demand for wood pellets, leading to the rapid expansion of logging in the Southern US. An appeal by more than 50,000 United States citizens asking the EU to stop supporting the unsustainable use of bioenergy was delivered today to European Commissioners Miguel Arias Cañete and Karmenu Vella, who are in charge of portfolios for energy, climate and environment. The appeal was further supported by five US conservation organizations – Dogwood Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, Gulf Restoration Network, Green America and ForestEthics – and, in Europe, by BirdLife Europe and the European Environmental Bureau.

EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL BUREAU

read more… – European Environmental Bureau