Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: Bioenergy Europe appears to be actively engaging with climate policy in the EU in 2022-24. The association takes broadly positive positions on its top-line messaging on climate policy and advocates for increased use of bioenergy in the EU energy mix. However, Bioenergy Europe rarely recognized the potential trade-offs or the need for criteria to ensure bioenergy is scaled up sustainably.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Bioenergy Europe supported climate policy in its top-line messaging in 2022-24. In its September 2023 Sample Bioheat Statistical Report, the association supported the goals of the EU Fit for 55 Package and 2050 Climate Neutrality target. It also advocated for more ambitious National Energy and Climate Plans for Member States. In a June 2023 public consultation response, Bioenergy Europe supported a carbon price on agricultural emissions as part of the EU 2040 Climate Target plan and broadly supported national targets to achieve emission reductions, carbon removals, and sectoral standards for sustainable farming practices. Bioenergy Europe appeared supportive of the goals of the Paris Agreement in August 2023 feedback on the EU’s Industrial Carbon Management Strategy.
Engagement with Climate-Related Policy: Bioenergy Europe engaged with broadly positive positions with climate-related policy in the EU in 2022-24. The association supported an EU 2040 GHG emissions reductions target of 80% compared to 1990 levels in a June 2023 public consultation response. However, in a February 2024 press release this ambition appeared to increase to 90% compared to 1990 levels, in line with ESABCC recommendations.
The association appeared supportive of the extension of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to all sectors identified as at risk of carbon leakage in a June 2023 public consultation response. Bioenergy Europe took mixed positions on the EU ETS in 2023, broadly supporting the extension of the EU ETS to the heating sector in a September 2023 report, but appeared unsupportive of some measures to increase the stringency of the EU ETS post-2030 in a June 2023 public consultation response. Bioenergy Europe appeared supportive of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and Energy Efficiency Directive in a page on its website accessed in January 2024, and in a September 2023 report.
Bioenergy Europe stated broad support for the EU Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) on its website, accessed in January 2024. However, as reported in Euractiv in February 2023, the association seemed to advocate for the EU Council’s position on primary biomass in the EU RED, which aimed to weaken the biomass sustainability criteria proposed by the EU Commission. The association had instances of unclear engagement on the trade-offs and sustainability criteria of using bioenergy in 2023. In a June 2023 public consultation response and in multiple X posts from February 2024, it suggested that bioenergy is a sustainable option but did not acknowledge potential trade-offs. However, on its website, accessed in January 2024, the association supported broad sustainability criteria for bioenergy to protect and enhance carbon sinks and mandate sustainable forest management.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Bioenergy Europe engaged broadly positively with the energy transition or related policy in 2022-24. The association consistently advocated for an increase of bioenergy in the EU energy mix, for example on its corporate website accessed in January 2024. As reported in Euractiv in January 2023, the association supported the use of bioenergy alongside other renewable energy sources to transition to a low-carbon energy sector. Bioenergy Europe President Christoph Pfemeter advocated for increased use of bioenergy in combination with Carbon Capture and Storage technologies (BECCS) as well as the inclusion of manufacturing bioenergy technology as a strategic technology in the Net Zero Industry Act in an June 2023 open letter to EU Policymakers. The association appeared supportive of the EU Industrial Carbon Management Strategy in an August 2023 public consultation response, advocating for the upscaling of carbon removal technologies including carbon capture and storage and BECCS. In a January 2023 report, Bioenergy Europe advocated for the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and communicated support for measures to reduce fossil gas in the energy mix.