Biochar—climate change mitigation strategy

The report examines biochar—charcoal produced from biomass to store carbon—as a method for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. While biochar could theoretically sequester carbon for thousands of years and improve soil fertility, a review of 212 peer-reviewed references indicates that current data are insufficient to accurately estimate its long-term stability. Consequently, the report concludes it is premature to rely on biochar as an effective climate mitigation tool or to allocate public resources for its deployment.

• Biochar is proposed as a climate mitigation strategy because it can potentially store carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere via photosynthesis for extended periods, provided the material resists decomposition in the soil. Additionally, it is thought to improve soil properties, increase fertility, and aid crop growth.
• A review of 212 peer-reviewed research references reveals that there is currently insufficient data to accurately estimate the stability of biochar over long time periods, which is a prerequisite for it to be an effective climate solution.
• Due to the lack of conclusive data on stability, the report argues against the current use of biochar as a reliable climate mitigation tool or the use of public funds for its deployment.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2012). Biochar—climate change mitigation strategy. https://www.ucs.org/resources/biochar-climate-change-mitigation-strategy

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Biochar—climate change mitigation strategy. 2012. https://www.ucs.org/resources/biochar-climate-change-mitigation-strategy.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Biochar—climate change mitigation strategy |date=26 November 2012 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/biochar-climate-change-mitigation-strategy |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2012biocharclimate, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Biochar—climate change mitigation strategy}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2012}, month = nov, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/biochar-climate-change-mitigation-strategy}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }