Forestry

Background

Forestry remains primarily a national competence, although EU environmental, climate and energy policies increasingly influence forest management.

The EU Forest Strategy for 2030, adopted in 2021, promotes forest protection, restoration, resilience and sustainable management. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), adopted in 2023, aims to prevent deforestation and forest degradation associated with products placed on or exported from the EU market, replacing the EU Timber Regulation.

The revised Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Regulation establishes binding national targets contributing to the EU’s 2030 carbon removal objectives. The Nature Restoration Regulation, adopted in 2024, also introduces obligations to restore forest ecosystems and improve biodiversity.

The role of biomass

Forest biomass is a major source of renewable energy in Europe, providing feedstock for heat and electricity production. Wood fuels include wood chips, wood pellets and wood logs.

Forest residues, thinning material and by-products from sawmills and wood-processing industries can contribute to renewable energy production while creating value within forest-based industries. Their sustainable mobilisation can also support forest management and rural economies.

Our position

Sustainable forest management is essential to ensuring that forest biomass used for energy respects environmental and climate objectives. National legislation, international commitments and voluntary certification schemes provide important safeguards, complemented by mandatory sustainability criteria under the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED III).

Bioenergy Europe supports a balanced, science-based framework that recognises regional forest conditions, promotes sustainable biomass mobilisation and supports the complementary use of forest resources for materials and renewable energy, while preserving biodiversity and forest resilience.