SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA FOR SOLID AND GASEOUS BIOMASS – CAN VOLUNTARY APPROACHES EVER BE EFFICIENT?

摘要

Sustainability criteria for solid and gaseous biomass have been assessed in this work with regard to theirlegal enforceability in the context of the EU goals related to greenhouse gases emission reduction, promotion ofrenewable energy sources, and expansion of international biomass market. Present and future substantial growth ofthe volume of biomass imports to the EU territory results from constantly increasing demand for bioenergyproduction and can have adverse effects on many aspects of human activities and quality of the environment.Adoption of well-adjusted sustainability scheme for both domestic and imported biomass is essential for securing theecologically, economically and socially sound supply of this renewable energy source (regardless the state ofaggregation). To date sustainability of solid and gaseous biomass is controlled on a voluntary basis, which seems notsufficient to secure the sustainable development of bioenergy sector.