Part 8/14:
Bioenergy proponents emphasize that biomass is part of a biogenic carbon cycle; trees absorb CO₂ during growth, and this carbon is released during combustion. If new trees are planted to replace those burned, the net impact on carbon emissions could be neutral over time. Nonetheless, climate experts warn that the timeframe needed to recapture emitted carbon—often decades—makes biomass a less-than-perfect solution, especially when forests are cleared rapidly for plantations.