Forest sector and NGOs warn over unchecked biofuels growth

[Europe] Increasing demands are being placed on forests worldwide as competition between traditional wood-use sectors and bio-energy heats up, NGOs and industry warn. The capability of European forests to meet both growing demand from biofuels and the more traditional uses of wood such as timber, pulp and paper came under scrutiny at a workshop organized by the United Nations and forest-based industry organizations on 11-12 January in Geneva . In order to use wood resources sustainably in the future, the workshop recommended that governments, in cooperation with stakeholders, introduce comprehensive policies for the forest sector, rural development and energy while at the same time ensuring co-ordination of these policies with other sectors.

News notes are courtesy of Southern Forests Network News Notes
www.southernsustainableforests.org