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Trying to fight climate change is great and all – but what if some of those “green” efforts are actually making things worse for the planet? That’s the worry experts are raising after a new report revealed the EU might be missing its forest-related climate targets – all while deforestation keeps creeping up.

Trees vs. Targets

According to the European Environment Agency, the EU’s forest ecosystems are in trouble. Biodiversity is shrinking, ecosystems are under pressure, and we’re just not doing enough to fix damaged areas. On top of that, expanding cities and farmland are eating into forests that are supposed to soak up our carbon emissions.

The EU’s new Nature Restoration Law is meant to help, but real progress depends on how seriously each country takes it. Bottom line: unless we switch gears fast, there’s no way we’ll hit our climate goals. Experts are calling for fresh strategies and – surprise – more money to protect nature.

Biomass: Green Energy or Forest Killer?

One big red flag? Biomass. The EU counts burning wood pellets as “renewable energy,” but critics say that’s greenwashing at its finest. Demand for pellets is booming, and Europe is one of the world’s biggest consumers. A lot of that wood comes from North America, Asia, and South America – and logging those forests is wrecking ecosystems and releasing even more CO₂.

A report called Burning Up the Biosphere warns that what’s supposed to be climate-friendly energy is actually fuelling deforestation and hurting biodiversity around the globe.

Cooking the Climate Books

Here’s the kicker: under the current rules, emissions from burning wood aren’t counted at all – thanks to a loophole in the UN’s climate accounting system. That means countries like Germany and the Netherlands can hit their targets on paper while burning stuff that releases more CO₂ than coal.

You read that right – wood can be dirtier than coal, and yet it still gets the “clean energy” stamp of approval. Not exactly what you’d expect from a policy meant to fight climate change.

Growth vs. Green Goals

Forestry plays an important role in the EU’s Eighth Environmental Action Programme (EAP), particularly in the context of protecting biodiversity and tackling climate change. The land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector should theoretically contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Turns out, even though we’re aiming for better stuff, growing economies mean we want more wood, and Europe’s still using a lot of materials. We’ve got new rules, like the Ecodesign Regulation, that are supposed to help manage forests better, but they’ll only work if we actually put them into practice quickly and make sure people follow them.

So what can be done?

The experts have a few ideas:

  • Stop handing out biomass subsidies that lead to reckless logging.
  • Speed up tree-planting and reforestation.
  • Actually enforce nature protection laws, instead of just writing them.
  • Invest more in clean energy sources like wind and solar that don’t come at the expense of forests.

Protecting forests isn’t just about storing carbon – it’s also about saving wildlife and keeping ecosystems healthy for future generations.

Signs of a Shift?

Some EU countries are starting to wake up. The Netherlands, one of the top biomass users, has begun phasing out subsidies and wants to remove biomass from the renewable energy list altogether. Even Hamburg pulled the plug on a plan to switch a coal plant to biomass, saying the environmental costs were just too high.

The Global Side of the Story

There’s also a fairness issue here. A lot of the wood Europe burns comes from countries with weaker environmental protections. In places like Southeast Asia and South America, the booming pellet industry is causing deforestation, pollution, and land conflicts. The EU’s demand for cheap “green” fuel is leaving others to deal with the fallout.

What’s next?

The EU has a choice to make: double down on a flawed system, or rethink its strategy and move toward truly sustainable energy. The clock’s ticking – and if we keep treating forests like fuel, we might end up losing one of our best tools in the fight against climate change.

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