Number: 2015-09
WHEREAS, the United States has experienced rapid growth in biomass production; most notably, wood pellet exports from North America to Europe doubled 2012-2014, with the U.S. South accounting for 63% of the volume; and the US International Trade Administration projects American pellet exports to Europe could grow from 5 to 15 times 2012 levels of 4.5 million metric tons, to between 25 and 70 million metric tons by 2020; and
WHEREAS, this growth is driven largely by government incentives both domestic and abroad that fail to require sustainable sourcing or accurate carbon accounting, such as the European Union’s climate-driven renewable energy requirements; and
WHEREAS, while many of these policies say that forest biomass harvests will protect biodiversity, existing U.S. laws and regulations often do not in fact protect forests, sensitive ecosystems, water quality and wildlife from the impacts of this industry; and
WHEREAS, an independent scientific study commissioned by NWF, entitled “Forestry Bioenergy in the Southeast United States: Implications for Wildlife Habitat and Biodiversity”, found that without additional protections, woody biomass operations in the Southeast will likely result in the harvest of threatened forest types and adversely impact biodiversity; however, that implementing certain sustainable sourcing criteria, such as avoiding conversion of natural stands to plantation, could minimize threats to biodiversity without making operations economically infeasible; and
WHEREAS, biomass market demand (if managed properly) could make certain targeted harvesting practices that improve wildlife habitat (ecologically-beneficial thinning of forest stands including those in easements, removal of encroaching trees from native grasslands) more economically feasible; and
WHEREAS, biomass market demand could spur plantings of potentially invasive species for bioenergy; more than 200 scientists and the federal Invasive Species Advisory Committee have warned of the substantial risk that some of these plantings will escape cultivation and cause socio-economic and/or ecological harm; and invasive species already cost more than $120 billion dollars a year in damages in the United States and are one of the primary threats to North America’s native species and ecosystems; and
WHEREAS, an independent scientific study commissioned by NWF, entitled “Biomass Supply and Carbon Accounting for Southeastern Forests”, found that cutting healthy Southeastern forests to generate electricity in inefficient power plants actually increases carbon pollution in the atmosphere for decades, well past the point at which scientists have determined we must be shrinking greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and that more efficient technologies, such as Combined Heat and Power in smaller-scale applications for individual projects and buildings, can produce lower carbon emissions;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Wildlife Federation, at its annual meeting assembled March 27-29, 2015, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, urges U.S. federal and state agencies, as well as international governments, to establish and apply strong, specific, trackable biodiversity and other natural resource protections to the sourcing of forest bioenergy used for electricity and combined heat and power generation. These protections shall include responsible harvesting practices that prohibit the conversion of natural ecosystems as well as harvests in ecosystems of high conservation value (such as forested wetlands) and make use of the most credible third party certifying systems that require these protections; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Wildlife Federation supports state, federal and international government incentives for sustainable biomass operations that improve wildlife habitat and reduce net carbon emissions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Wildlife Federation calls for a moratorium on the use of high-risk invasive species for bioenergy, and for establishment of best management practices for those of moderate- and low-risk.