IBI Program Areas

IBI seeks a systematic transition from the promise of biochar to the practice of biochar production and application systems.  This transition requires interventions of many kinds mainly through research, policy, industry development, and communications. Our strategic plan for 2009 - 2010 focuses on advancing biochar through these four pillars.

Click here to read the 2009 Year in Review Report

Research

Basic research is needed on both production and utilization systems. The field of scientists and engineers working in this arena is expanding, but there is an opportunity to coordinate work and amplify results among all those working in the field.  IBI relies on its scientific advisory committee to release relevant papers and general information on biochar. Many members of the scientific advisory committee contributed as authors to the recently published book: Biochar for Environmental Management, Earthscan, 2009. Additionally, IBI has a searchable bibliography containing information on all published journal and magazine articles as well as books on biochar. IBI conferences, both international and regional, bring together scientists, engineers, and others to share results and new information. IBI recently published Guidelines for Setting up Field Trials with Biochar, the first comprehensive manual on biochar field testing. Growers using these guidelines are being asked to share results with IBI for analysis and wider dissemination through the IBI member and projects database. The collective results of this coordinated research will improve our understanding of crop and soil response to biochar.

Policy

It is crucial that biochar is recognized as a viable means of terrestrial sequestration and that biochar be included in all geographic policy contexts—with all information scientifically supported. IBI has played a critical role in the past year to bring biochar into the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, working with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This has resulted in important advances by Parties seeking to include biochar as an allowable method for carbon sequestration within the soil carbon and land use change mitigation and adaptation category. At a national level in the United States, IBI has successfully included biochar R&D in the 2008 United States Farm Bill and is working to increase the knowledge of biochar in the House and Senate.

Industry Development

Expanding the number of production and utilization projects on the ground is essential to paving a path to the future. IBI works to highlight successful models of project development through monthly practitioner’s profiles and through extension and educational services.  Additionally, IBI is working with projects that are piloting small biochar production units, in both industrialized and developing countries. IBI has created a working group to create a standard understanding of biochar characterization and safety guidelines, and is also working to develop sustainability guidelines.

Communication

Communication is essential to accomplishing IBI’s mission. Policy and science communities need an objective and reliable source of information on biochar, and IBI seeks to fill the role as an effective international advocate for biochar, as an objective source of technical information on biochar production and use, and as an instrument to organize the growing set of parties interested in the future of biochar. IBI sends its membership a monthly newsletter as well as press releases, highlights all news articles on biochar, maintains a bulletin board for members to submit questions to the community as well as a jobs posting board, highlights the work of regional biochar groups worldwide, and has recently established a member/projects database to increase the networking opportunities of biochar enthusiasts worldwide.  Since its inception in 2006, IBI has held two international conferences and is planning a third conference September 12 - 16, 2010 in Brazil.  The first regional IBI conference was held in Australia in May 2009. The second regional conference, North American Biochar 2009, was held in August 2009 in the United States.