The Yale Forest Forum is excited to announce the next speaker series for the spring 2022 semester, taking place on Tuesdays, jointly hosted by the Yale Carbon Containment Lab, Yale Center for Industrial Ecology and The Forests Dialogue.
The Future of Forest Products in a Changing Climate: Bioenergy from Forests (BEF)
Energy generated from the combustion of wood and wood wastes or biofuels derived from wood, which is called bioenergy from forests, has been heralded by some as a promising renewable energy source. Yet others raise concerns over negative impacts on the environment and human health and potential increases in green-house gas emissions. In the United States, the Biden Administration’s emphasis on climate change has inspired renewed conversations over a full suite of energy technology and natural climate solutions, including biomass energy produced from both hazardous fuels and managed forest systems. Some consider bioenergy from forests an important component in the transition away from fossil fuels while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, key to achieving net-zero economy-wide targets. While for others, the efforts to promote the scaling up of bioenergy from forests raises concerns about natural resource demands and larger sustainability priorities.
The webinar will bring in a wide range of experts to discuss the future role of bioenergy from forests in addressing climate, resource, societal and environmental challenges at regional and global scales. Guest speakers will represent forestry, energy, conservation, and climate science. Speakers will describe their personal and organizational experience with bioenergy from forests, and discuss the environmental, economic, and societal implications for increased use for the energy sector, forest products industry and society.
Join us every Tuesday from January 25 - April 26 from 11:30am-12:10pm US ET. Note: there will be no webinar on March 15 & 22.
Connecticut Certified Forest Practitioners may receive 1.0 CEU credits for each live lecture attended. Email yff@yale.edu for further details.
Click here to register. Register once to attend all webinars and to view the recordings.
| Date | Speaker | Organization | Theme | Speaker Information |
Webinar (slides and recording) |
| January 25 |
Mark Ashton - Professor of Silviculture and Forest Ecology, and the Director of the Yale Forests Gary Dunning - Executive Director of the The Forests Dialogue (TFD) Reid Lifset - Research Scholar, Resident Fellow in Industrial Ecology, and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Industrial Ecology Anastasia O’Rourke - Managing Director at the Carbon Containment Lab |
Yale School of the Environment |
Overview of Bioenergy from Forests (BEF) | Speaker Bio’s | |
| February 1 | Alice Favero - Associate Director of Graduate Studies | School of Public Policy, Georgia Tech | Biomass and Land Use | Speaker Bio | |
| February 8 | Annie Levasseur - Professor and Canada Research Chair in Measuring the Impact of Human Activities on Climate Change |
École de technologie supérieure, ÉTS |
The Industrial Ecology of BEF | Speaker Bio | |
| February 15 | Steven Hamburg - Chief Scientist | Environmental Defense Fund | Speaker Bio | ||
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February 22 |
William Moomaw - Professor Emeritus | The Fletcher School, Tufts University | Key environmental challenges of BEF | Speaker Bio | |
|
March 1 |
Kim Cesafsky DuBose - Director of Sustainability | Enviva Inc. | BEF opportunities for the forest products industry | ||
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March 8 |
Richard Peberdy - Head of Sustainable Forests |
Drax Biomass Inc. | Energy Industry’s Interest in BEF | Speaker Bio | |
| March 29 | Daniel Sanchez - Assistant Specialist in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management | University of California-Berkeley | Investment in Bioenergy from Forests | Speaker Bio | |
| April 5 | Matt Donegan - Chair of Govenors Council | Oregon Wildfire Response Council | Wildfire and Bioenergy from Forests | Speaker Bio | |
| April 12 |
Treva Gear - Founder and Chair Adam Colette - Program Director |
Concerned Citizens of Cook County Dogwood Alliance |
Community Concerns with Bioenergy from Forests | Speaker Bio’s | |
| April 19 | Ann Bartuska - Senior Advisor | Resources for the Future | US and global policy matters related to Bioenergy from Forests | Speaker Bio | |
| April 26 |
Panelists: Alex Finkral - The Forestland Group Victoria Lockhart - Resource Managment Service Phil Rigdon - Yakama Nation Helena Murray - USFS Moderator: Richard Donovan - Independent Forest Advisor |
Panel Discussion: Foresters Debate When, Where and How to consider BEF | |||
Photo by U.S. Bureau of Land Management