I am strongly against the…

I am strongly against the expansion of Ontario's biomass industry as set out in its Draft Forest Biomass Action Plan. Burning wood pellets (biomass) is not the solution to our climate crisis, and would in fact worsen the existing crisis.

First, scientists have determined that burning wood pellets releases as much or even more carbon dioxide per unit of energy as burning coal.

Second, the Draft Forest Biomass Plan involves cutting down whole trees for biomass, rather than relying entirely on waste wood. Increasing deforestation will only exacerbate the current climate issues. Expanding the biomass industry would also create increased demand for wood pellets and create a profit incentive to cut down more trees. This encourages deforestation of ecologically sensitive areas, which are not easily regenerated. We only need to look to the US for evidence of this.

Third, to continue feeding the biomass industry, reforestation efforts would likely focus on species of trees that can be planted and regrown relatively quickly, so that they can be used to generate more wood pellets. Biodiversity is critically important to the health of the environment, and we cannot be replacing the biodiversity of our forests with monocultures of fast-growing trees.

Ultimately, the Draft Forest Biomass Plan promotes an industry that is no better than the fossil fuel industry. Attempts to paint this as "sustainable" are mere greenwashing. We need real solutions to the climate crisis, including solutions that will increase biodiversity and protect our forests, not cut them down. The Draft Forest Biomass Plan will do more harm than good, and the Ontario government should not proceed with this course of action.