The Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Native Forest
Wood Waste in the Renewable Energy Target – Consultation Paper. The use of native forest biomass to generate electricity has long been a concern for EDO and our clients. In this submission EDO recommends that native forest biomass should be removed from the Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme as an eligible renewable energy source for Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) under the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (Cth) (REE Act) because:

  1. It is inconsistent with the objects of the REE Act;
  2. It has adverse environmental impacts, predominantly incentivising logging and the burning of
    native forest biomass, which negatively affects forests, biodiversity and the climate;
  3. It contradicts Australia’s international obligations under the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on
    Forests and Land Use; and
  4. Excluding it from the RET would have a minimal impact on existing power stations.
EDO Submission on the Native Forest Wood Waste in the Renewable Energy Target – Consultation Paper Download