373 civil society and Indigenous Peoples organizations from 74 countries urged leaders at a historic global conference to act with urgency to phase out Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), a particular group of pesticides that cause the most severe harm to human health and the environment and are considered too dangerous for use.
The health organisations Klimawandel Gesundheit (KLUG), Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Public Health (DGPH) and ClientEarth have sent a letter to members of the ITRE committee, pointing out the health and climate impacts of burning biomass, ahead of a vote in the committee on the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) and whether wood burning should continue to be classified as “renewable” and therefore subsidised.
The letter calls on MEPs in the committee to no longer classify wood as a renewable energy source in the new RED III and to stop subsidies for wood as an energy source.
Wood burning in power plants, heaters and fireplaces pollutes air, contributes to the climate crisis, and is therefore harmful to health in several ways.
Full letter here