A recent study conducted by researchers at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and North Carolina State University found that the United States could assist the European Union (EU) to meet its 2020 policy goals for increased renewable energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, without decreasing U.S. forest inventories or diminishing their carbon storage capacity.
The study examined the contribution by forests in southeastern U.S. to EU wood pellet markets, and found that increasing demand for wood pellets resulted in more forest area, more forest investment, large greenhouse gas reductions, and little change in forest carbon inventories.
Robert Johansson, USDA’s Acting Chief Economist, provided comment on the report and its findings, which can be read here. The study was published in the journal Global Change Biology-Bioenergy and can be viewed here.
Citation: “Sustainability Guidelines and Forest Market Response: An Assessment of European Union Pellet Demand in the Southeastern United States” Christopher S. Galik and Robert C. Abt. Global Change Biology-Bioenergy, date. DOI: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcbb.12273/full.