Informationen zur Stellungnahme 

To contribute to the future EU biomass sustainability policy and in this context to underline the importance of fully associating local and regional authorities to the formulation, implementation and monitoring of sustainable production and use of biomass

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS



- believes that producers and operators must be supported at all levels of governance by administrative and fiscal policies that are progressive and consistent, enabling the sector to plan strategically and with confidence;

- suggests that protocols on biomass sustainability should be integral to the provisions of relevant international trade agreements and believes that international agreement on improved and standardised land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) accounting must be a priority;

- encourages more authorities to sign up to the Covenant of Mayors (or similar national or regional collaborations) and otherwise would recommend all authorities to adopt formal policies and practices that champion sustainable energies, including where appropriate, incentivising the local production and use of biomass;

- considers that the Commission Report on biomass sustainability due in 2011 should be accompanied by proposals for binding minimum sustainability criteria for the use of solid and gaseous biomass sources in electricity, heating and cooling, including a greenhouse gas saving requirement taking into account indirect land use change impacts where applicable, and an assessment of the impact of biomass production on food production, on forestry and wood industries and on other effects of land use change.