Does biochar increase soil carbon and role of biochar on greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration in soil opportunities for mitigating climate change?
Dear Naresh (I hope this is your first name),
Your question touches a very interesting and somewhat controversial debate. Generally speaking, biochar does certainly increase soil carbon. Whether such addition is a serious contribution to mitigating CC by carbon sequestration: Carbon capture from the atmosphere, is a different issue.
There are planty of projects trying to advocate biochar to reach exactly that. However: a) What is the total GHG budget for the production of biochar? b) Is it certain that biochar addition will enhance GHG capture in soils? c) Are not other soil management options much more promising without the significant costs of biochar production...
All best
Jörg
PS: Prof. Mukul Sharma here at Dartmouth is a promoter of (modified) biochar addition to soils. You might wish to contact him ([email protected]).
Dear Naresh,
Biochar is basically a carbon-rich material and when added to soil, it certainly increases the carbon content of soil. When added to soil, its like locking away carbon that would have decomposed into derivatives like methane or burnt to release CO2. These are all GHGs and any action that limits their emmisions is helping to mitigate climate change. I however agree with the worries of Jörg on the energy input to produce biochar and whether or not it offsets GHG emmision. This is under investigation!
Good luck!
Eric
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