Devastating clear-cutting in Malaysia, but RWE and NEA call biomass ‘sustainable’
Energy giant RWE faces criticism for sourcing biomass from Malaysian forests where clearing has caused severe environmental and social disruption. Although the Dutch Emissions Authority identified issues with the sustainability of this wood, it remains certified as sustainable, sparking investigations and threatening the credibility of national climate policies.
Energy company RWE is under scrutiny for burning wood in Dutch power plants that originates from large-scale deforestation in Malaysia. Despite investigations by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa) confirming irregularities, the wood continues to be classified as sustainable, a decision that challenges the integrity of Dutch climate policy. RWE aims to transition its coal plants entirely to biomass, but reports indicate that this reliance on wood chips is contributing to environmental destruction in regions like Pahang and Kelantan.
In these Malaysian regions, the rapid clearing of tropical forests has triggered severe flooding and landslides, while displacing wildlife into local villages. Ecologist Badrul Azhar noted that a third of the region's tropical forests have vanished over the last two decades, as local authorities prioritize economic gains over conservation. Both the police and the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority have launched investigations into these practices, raising critical questions about the sustainability criteria currently applied to the biomass industry.
Based on reporting by ad. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
