The word “organic” is no longer a guarantee, but a marketing badge. Organic is the new organic swag. It used to be on the packaging of ethically sourced apples, traditionally grown zucchini, and locally shorn sheep’s wool. For several years now, it now has adorned industrial wood pellets sourced, for instance ( more about this below), from rainforests in Malaysia.

In recent weeks, just before the summer holidays, several important and politically relevant events have taken place surrounding certain “organic” streams (biofuel, biomass, BECCS, and deforestation for energy). The Clean Air Committee (Comité Schone Lucht) was involved in international research, political developments, and media coverage. Below you find a brief overview:

1 Victory for Nature
DUTCH Climate Plan and therefore Biomass & BECCS – Declared Controversial

Thanks to a direct appeal from the Clean Air Committee to the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (KGG) – supported by scientists, NGOs, and citizens – both the climate plan and the roadmap for negative emissions (including biomass and BECCS) have been declared controversial by the current caretaker (ultra right) cabinet, that recently resigned. This means that the BECCS plans will not be considered further for the time being.

A significant victory that demonstrates: protest and public pressure works.

🎥 Watch the short video with the decisive vote here

2 Political Update
Motion Christian Democrats Abolishes Additional CO₂ Tax on Industry Disastrous for Biodiversity!

Instead of increasing transparency and tightening climate and nature policy, Henri Bontenbal (CDA) submitted a motion calling for the abolition of the additional CO₂ tax on industry. This additional CO2 tax was intended to discourage fossil fuels. However, the Bontenbal motion turns the clock back significantly, which is beneficial for industry, but devastating for nature.

👉 The motion of the Christian democrats (party of Wopke Hoekstra) was a.o. adopted with support from the conservative liberals (VVD), ultra right (PVV), and the farmer party BBB.

🔍 Consequences of this motion:

  • Financial advantage for power plants that also burn biomass compared to truly sustainable and nature-building (rather than nature-degrading) alternatives such as energy conservation or residual heat.
  • Negative incentive for forest protection: burning wood remains economically attractive, despite CO₂ emissions and ecological damage.
  • Erosion of climate policy: the incentive to reduce emissions is weakened, while biomass is now being labeled a “false solution” by many scientists.

🌱 The Clean Air Committee calls it “a dangerous signal that the polluter is being spared once again – at the expense of nature, air quality, and credible politics.”

3 Adopted Motion Against BECCS
Following new research by the Clean Air Committee: Stop wood imports for biomass and BECCS

Based on Biofuelwatch and the Clean Air Committee’s revelations about the origins of wood from Malaysia, among other countries, Member of Parliament Christine Teunissen (Party for the Animals) submitted a motion. The adopted motion calls on the government to:

“Stop the import of wood for biomass and BECCS as long as the origin, sustainability, and enforcement are not guaranteed.”

📣 The motion is directly inspired by the recent research findings by the Clean Air Committee and Biofuelwatch regarding “illegal wood” in the case of illegal wood imports from Malaysia for Dutch RWE biomass power plants and the enforcement request they subsequently submitted to the Netherlands Ea (NEa). The lack of transparency at companies like RWE and the thus far inadequate oversight play a major role in this.

Political significance:

  • The motion marks a shift towards source-based measures: stopping imports instead of correcting them afterward.
  • It draws a direct link between climate policy, international deforestation, and inadequate oversight in the Netherlands.
  • This is one of the first motions to explicitly include BECCS in the call for an import ban.

🌱 The Clean Air Committee is urging political parties to explicitly follow this motion in their election manifestos being drafted this summer.

4 Disclosure of New Research (Clean Air Committee & Biofuelwatch)
Illegal Malaysian wood in Dutch biomass power plants

Despite months of requests from journalists, members of parliament, and civil society organizations, energy company RWE consistently refuses to provide insight into the origin, volumes, and certification of the wood pellets the company burns in its Dutch biomass power plants.

Partly for this reason, the Clean Air Committee and Biofuelwatch conducted extensive research into the origin of the wood pellets RWE uses. The results are truly shocking: illegally harvested tropical wood from Malaysia is still ending up in Dutch biomass power plants via a detour.

The Clean Air Committee plays a central role in this:

  • Repeatedly submitted Freedom of Information Act (Wob)/Woo requests for data disclosure.
  • Published, together with Biofuelwatch, a revealing report on illegal logging in Malaysia with a direct link to RWE’s wood pellet suppliers.
  • Submitted an enforcement request to NEa with a request for intervention due to suspected violations.

RWE’s response: a complete refusal to provide transparency, even regarding basic information such as countries of origin or volumes.

📰 Due to pressure from the Clean Air Committee, critical articles on this topic appeared in:

🌱 RWE’s refusal not only undermines support for biomass, but also the credibility of Dutch climate policy, which is based on unverifiable claims about “sustainable” wood combustion. The Clean Air Committee continues to push for public supply chain information, enforcement by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (NEa), and an immediate ban on the import of felled forests from abroad for biomass.

5 Weakening of European Deforestation Law is a cause for concern

A painful development is the watering down of the European Deforestation Regulation. Instead of strong measures to stop forest destruction, a back door seems to remain open for biomass. Together with our European allies, we will continue to oppose this through actions, discussions, research, and alternative solutions.

6 RWE receives no compensation but remains a closed book

The verdict in the case of RWE against the Dutch State was clear: no compensation for the closure of the coal-fired power plants. A fair outcome. But RWE continues to refuse to be open about its biomass practices – a sign of weakness that underscores the need for strict oversight.

Finally, Omission or Play?

The tangle of agencies and vague responsibilities surrounding the oversight of biomass trading is worrying. Who actually monitors whom – and how? Thanks to the investigation and continued pressure, we will hopefully finally see more clarity. The NEa has announced it will examine Malaysian imports to the Netherlands. We will keep you informed.

❤️ Support our fight for forests and biodiversity 🍀

“We are seeing systematic greenwashing by an energy sector that continues to present itself as sustainable, while destroying forests, emitting CO₂, and evading public scrutiny. RWE, the largest biomass power plant in the Netherlands, refuses to be transparent. The only inspection body, the Netherlands Emissions Authority (NEa), stands at a distance and remains silent for the time being. Politicians must now choose: real supervision and enforcement or sham policy at the expense of people, animals, and nature.”

— Clean Air Committee

Thanks to your involvement and support, we are uncovering the truth, keeping nature on the political agenda, offering solutions, and protecting forests and biodiversity worldwide. But we’re not there yet.

Join us. Your donation makes more campaigning, further research, and (legal) action possible 👉 Donate through our website and help us – against this greenwashing and in favor of our forests, biodiversity, and clean air! Thank you very much and have a good summer!

The Clean Air Committee Team