Agent Green
Agent Green is a non-governmental, non-profit organization (NGO) dedicated to environmental protection, founded in 2009 in Romania for the purpose of preserving biodiversity.
ID: 076953039760-41
Lobbying Activity
Response to Climate change mitigation and adaptation taxonomy
18 Dec 2020
We oppose the inclusion of forest biomass and hydropower in the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy and urge that the declining GHG intensity ceiling that was omitted from the draft act be reinstated.
Stretching for 1,500 kilometres across Central and Eastern Europe, the Carpathian Mountains, Europe’s third longest mountain range, are home to the last large refuges of the European Union’s most prized natural heritage — intact, irreplaceable primary and old-growth forests. Romania, at the southern end of this arc, hosts by far the largest share of these natural jewels.
Yet, in the name of “sustainable” and “renewable” energy, these forests are being decimated by logging for timber and fuel, often illegally sourced. Evidence shows that even ‘legally’ sourced timber is having a clear and negative impact on biodiversity, including in national parks and Natura 2000 sites. Almost two-thirds of Romania’s so-called “renewable” energy comes from the burning of forest biomass. This is having devastating impacts on biodiversity and the climate. In the very short time-frame we have to tackle the climate crisis, the burning of forest wood is not a solution to our future energy needs - burning wood emits more CO2 per unit of energy produced than fossil fuels. Low emissions energy sources such as wind, solar and heat pumps should be supported to ensure their costs decrease as they scale up, and, coupled with radical energy efficiency and sufficiency, our energy needs must not come at the expense of the environment. In Romania, many citizens use wood to heat their homes. We need to transition to much cleaner sources of energy than wood; sources that don't impact our health, our unique biodiversity and the climate. Supporting forest biomass in the Taxonomy is the wrong way to go for this transition.
Romania’s rivers are also being severely impacted by hydropower, particularly small hydropower developments that largely affect smaller more sensitive river catchments. Creating such tiny amounts of electricity, small hydropower has disproportionate impacts on river ecology and also should not be included in the Taxonomy.
Support, including subsidies, for hydropower and the burning of forest biomass at scale must cease. We must invest in a truly green, renewable future for all Romanians. Please see our letter, signed by many NGOs from Romania and across the EU, opposing the inclusion of forest biomass and hydropower in the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy.
AGENT GREEN is a Romanian non-governmental non-profit organisation dedicated to protecting the natural environment, founded in 2009 for the purpose of preserving biodiversity. The organisation has an affinity for investigating environment crimes, strategically exposing these crimes and promoting solutions for protecting nature and ensuring the well-being of future generations.
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