FAO calls to develop wood energy sectors
The use of wood energy can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
can contribute to poverty reduction, FAO said today. But the agency
warned that the use of wood for fuel can result in deforestation or
forest degradation if sustainable forest management is not effectively
practised.
Wood is the most important biofuel, mainly in developing countries.
Today half of the annual harvest of roundwood is used for energy noted a
paper presented at a special event of FAO's governing body, the FAO
Conference, on the subject of forests and energy.
More than two billion people depend on wood for their daily energy
demand, mainly for cooking, heating and small industrial production. In
sub-Saharan Africa, fuelwood and charcoal supply over 70 percent of the
national energy demand High oil prices, the need for secure energy
supplies and concerns over climate change have led to a new interest in
bioenergy.
This renewed interest could affect forests because forests occupy
land which could be used for crops producing liquid biofuels.
Furthermore, forests and forest residues could become more important
for the direct conversion to liquid biofuels.
Some experts predict that wood will become the major source of
biofuels in the future, replacing agricultural crops and residues.
The increase in energy consumption driven by demographic and economic
factors and the rapidly changing global energy situation generate both
opportunities and threats for forests, FAO said.
The production of energy from existing forests and from forest
plantations is expected to increase.
At the same time, unsustainable harvesting and use of wood fuels
could increase. As the demand for wood energy rises, the supply of wood
available for other uses might decline, resulting in higher prices for
all users of wood.
Land previously dedicated to food crops might shift to biofuel crops.
This could benefit farmers' incomes, but might have a negative impact on
local food production.
Agro-fuel crops might expand into forests, generating land use
conflicts and increasing deforestation, with implications for biological
diversity, climate change and water.
"Despite the apparent benefits of biofuels, caution should be
exercised when planning and implementing large-scale liquid bio-fuel
projects," said Wulf Killmann, Director of FAO's Forest Products and
Industries Division.
"Governments should ensure that there are no serious negative impacts
on the environment and society."
FAO called upon countries to develop their wood energy sectors in
line with sustainable forest management concepts. Wood energy policies
should be incorporated into poverty reduction strategies. Know-how and
capacity building in the use of sustainable, efficient and healthy wood
energy systems should be transferred. |