Part 9/17:
European authorities face a delicate balancing act, as many regions ramp up firewood usage in response to the energy crunch. Countries like Hungary and Germany have loosened forest protection rules or faced exploitation risks from fake online sellers. The European Union has committed to planting 3 billion trees by 2030—part of broader hopes to restore natural landscapes and reduce reliance on fossil fuels—but the increase in biomass burning remains a contentious issue.