Peer-reviewed science and transparent analysis is at the core of all PFPI’s work, as evidenced by our extensively documented research reports.
We specialize in translating science to inform advocacy, but we also participate directly in the “doing” and discussion of science on bioenergy, GHG emissions, and climate. This is particularly important in the field of bioenergy because the science has become so contested.
IPCC Reports
Mary Booth served as an external reviewer on both the “1.5” and “Lands” reports of the IPCC. Prior to the 1.5 report, she published a peer-reviewed paper on the GHG impacts of burning forestry residues, debunking the idea this is a low carbon fuel and proposing a metric for counting bioenergy emissions. While bioenergy is treated as zero emissions in the energy sector due to IPCC protocol that sets the rules for international GHG reporting, PFPI provided substantive critique of the revision of this protocol, leading to clarifications in the report text that better explain the deficits of this system. In a major development, the IPCC included a model pathway in its 1.5 report, which PFPI has dubbed “the Green Path,” that drastically scales back bioenergy use.
Forest Research
PFPI collaborates on a research project with scientists at Griffith University in Australia focusing on northern and boreal forests of the world, and contributes to colleagues’ work on that project.
Climate Conferences
PFPI regularly attends UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conferences and works throughout the year with colleagues at the Climate, Land-use, Ambition and Rights Alliance (CLARA), which is a recognized representative of civil society at the UNFCCC, to create robust, defensible positions on the role of the land sector in climate mitigation. PFPI is also a member of the U.S. Climate Action Network (USCAN) and participated in developing the network’s Vision for Equitable Climate Action.
PFPI Reports and Analysis
See the “Resources” section for links to PFPI’s reports and analysis.