The European Commission last week took the controversial step of deciding against environmental safeguards for the use of plants and wood, when being used as a source of energy, in a move that will only serve to anger climate campaigners. This decision has also been met with frustration by GLOBE EU President Sirpa Pietikainen, who hosted a conference on 11 November on the subject, and labelled the outcome unacceptable.

Biomass, which is currently responsible for around 60% of all renewable energy, is set to play an important role in EU climate policy in the coming years, with the EU setting itself the target of increasing renewable energy use by 20% by 2020. However when the renewable energy target was agreed as part of the climate and energy package was last year, the Commission decided against setting any environmental standards for the energy source.

Rather than proposing any new legally-binding legislation then, the energy department of the European Commission, which is currently handling the issue, has decided to put forwards recommendations instead. This has drawn criticism not only from Finish MEP Sirpa Pietikainen but also from the Environment DG at the Commission. They too had wanted binding standards, and have managed to ensure that a review over whether binding legislation is needed will be carried out in 2011.

The main reason why the Energy DG has been reluctant to put forward any binding legislation, is that officials believe it would be too difficult to draw up sustainability criteria for biomass. However, on the flipside Mrs Pietikainen warned this may ‘speed up the loss of forest cover’, whilst the increased use of biomass could also lead to competition with food crops.

The report being prepared by the Commission is due to be released towards the end of next month. A Commission spokesman has already indicated that scientific research is still ongoing and that the consultation phase has not yet been completed.