New Zealand Biochar Policy

The New Zealand Government is working to address climate change and has created a website devoted to its climate change solutions. The Government has published an overview document entitled: New Zealand's Climate Change Solutions: An Overview. This document includes a mention of the Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change Plan of Action that will include (from page 23) "A five-year work programme aimed at addressing barriers which hinder the private sector from capitalising on climate change opportunities. This includes the development of a greenhouse gas footprint response for the primary sectors and reviewing market opportunities such as the creation of markets for emission-reducing technologies. In addition, $10 million will be invested in research, development and commercialisation of biofuel, biochar and energy-efficiency opportunities."

Additionally, the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry sent a representative to the first IBI conference and reported back with research on biochar opportunities in New Zealand (Biochar and bioenergy production for climate change mitigation).