To achieve the environmental, economic and social benefits that arise from the use of wood biomass, it is necessary to ensure conditions for controlled use of forest potential. In such conditions, wood biomass is a renewable energy source whose use improves the state of forests and reduces the effects of climate change.

In order to provide support to responsible institutions at all levels of government in creating the conditions for sustainable use of wood biomass potentials, the UNDP project "Biomass Energy for Employment and Energy Security ", financed by the Czech Republic, and the Czech Republic and UNDP Project “Partnership for The Sustainable Development Goals” are working on the preparation of the Guide on best practices and recommendations to increase utilization of wood biomass in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Guide is focused at operational measures and methods of forest management, technology and wood biomass market. Also it includes information related to the current state of the forestry sectors in BaH, an overview of the situation in the Czech Republic and the European Union, forestry planning, forestry technologies and practices and their use in the mobilization of wood biomass, as well as the importance of involving the public in the decision making in this field.

Local experts of forest management planning, forest utilization and forest economics and international expert for transfer of Czech knowledge, experience and best practices in using wood biomass are involved in the preparation of the Guide.

In order to ensure that the information given in the Guide are in line with the current circumstances and that relevant institutions have the necessary data to create an environment in which wood biomass could be used sustainably, workshop with representatives of relevant institutions was held in the United Nations House in Sarajevo on 17 June, 2019.

Key aspects for mobilization of unused wood biomass potentials in BaH, its influences on mobilization and ability of forest enterprises to minimize their impacts were discussed at the workshop. The participants’ suggestions for improved mobilization of unused wood biomass potentials will be integrated into the Guide.

The discussion also included the modalities of involving stakeholders in the decision-making process in regard to wood biomass. Senka Mutabdžija Bećirović, representative of the UNDP project, said that: "Sustainable energy production based on wood biomass implies cooperation of different sectors - forestry, wood processing, energy, agriculture, environmental protection and rural development. Its sustainable use is ensured only with respect to the role of each member of the wood biomass supply chain."

The meeting was attended by 30 representatives of ministries, cantonal administrations, chambers of commerce, forestry enterprises and non-governmental sector.