Plantations, big biomass and forests in Africa

21 Mar 2022
14:00-15:30 UTC, Zoom webinar in English with French interpretation

This International Day of Forests webinar explored the role of big biomass and tree plantations in Africa’s green energy transition, and the implications of this for forests and communities. Presentations looked at specific examples of plantation expansion and industrial biomass developments in four African countries, including the launch of a new case study on the Ngodwana Biomass Energy Plant in South Africa.

Watch a recording of the webinar below:

Presentations:

• • Moderator: Kwami Kpondzo (FoE-Togo, GFC regional focal point for Africa and coordinator of the Biomass Working Group’s Africa sub-group)
  • GeaSphere (South Africa): Case study on the Ngodwana Biomass Energy Plant in South Africa, and Africa’s green energy challenge
  • Civic Response (Ghana): The impacts of APSD’s eucalyptus plantations in Ghana and links to industrial-scale biomass energy (view presentation)
  • Justiça Ambiental (Mozambique): Community struggle against plantations for pulp and paper, and links to biomass energy and forest restoration schemes (view presentation)
  • Biofuelwatch (UK/US): Plans to export Namibian bushwood for European biomass energy – what will the impacts be? (view presentation)