The Biochar Debate

by Bruges, James

• ISBN13: 9781603582551
• ISBN10: 160358255X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-01-21
• Publisher: Chelsea Green Pub Co

Summary

The Biochar Debateis the first book to introduce both the promise and concerns surrounding biochar (fine-grained charcoal used as a soil supplement) to nonspecialists. Charcoal making is an ancient technology. Recent discoveries suggest it may have a surprising role to play in combating global warming. This is because creating and burying biochar removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Furthermore, adding biochar to soil can increase the yield of food crops and the ability of soil to retain moisture, reducing need for synthetic fertilizers and demands on scarce fresh-water supplies. While explaining the excitement of biochar proponents, Bruges also gives voice to critics who argue that opening biochar production and use to global carbon-credit trading schemes could have disastrous outcomes, especially for the world’s poorest people. The solution, Bruges explains, is to promote biochar through an alternative approach called the Carbon Maintenance Fee that avoids the dangers. This would establish positive incentives for businesses, farmers, and individuals to responsibly adopt biochar without threatening poor communities with displacement by foreign investors seeking to profit through seizure of cheap land. The Biochar Debatecovers the essential issues from experimental and scientific aspects of biochar in the context of global warming to fairness and efficiency in the global economy to negotiations for the future of the Kyoto Protocol.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Charcoal and biochar
A visit to India
The players
An Overall View	p. 10
Carbon
The atmosphere
The land
Limited resources Geo engineering
Downsides
Predictions
The Amazon Civilization	p. 24
Dark soil (terra preta)
Biochar and Agriculture	p. 29
Soil
Productivity
Peak oil
Peak phosphorus
Pandemics Introduction of biochar
Where, and how much? Permanence in soil
Application
Pilot Schemes	p. 57
The banana grower
SCAD
Southern France Carbon Gold in Belize
Ghana
Poultry farm Cameroon
Microwave
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Science	p. 75
Photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Nitrous oxide
Safe level for greenhouse gases
Biochar
Nutrient qualities
Carbon Credits?	p. 94
Cap-and-trade
The global economy
Experience: Europe
Biochar
Twin solutions
CMF: the Carbon Maintenance Fee
Summary	p. 109
Selected bibliography	p. 113
Index	p. 116
About the Author	p. 121
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