A cross-disciplinary collaboration at Cornell University found that a majority of the U.S. public is supportive of soil carbon storage as a climate change mitigation strategy, particularly when that and similar approaches are seen as “natural” strategies.

The team analyzed results from a survey of 1,222 U.S. adults who reported believing in climate change at least “somewhat,” to estimate public support for soil carbon storage and how it compares to other leading carbon dioxide removal strategies. It solicited respondents’ perceptions of naturalness and policy support for five CO₂ removal strategies: afforestation and reforestation; bioenergy plus carbon capture and storage; direct air capture; soil carbon storage; and soil carbon storage with biochar.

In the final analysis, perceived naturalness was a strong indicator of support for soil carbon storage as a climate change mitigation strategy. Of the five CO₂ removal strategies, support was highest (73%) for afforestation and reforestation; soil carbon storage ranked second, supported by 62% of those polled.

Cornell University. “People prefer ‘natural’ strategies to reduce atmospheric carbon.” ScienceDaily, 26 May 2021. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210526185839.htm>.

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This is the common carbon cycle. But: We can no longer afford this release of CO₂ nowadays. The global releases are too serious due to rapidly growing forest and peat fires worldwide, as well as the thawing permafrost soils.

To give an impression of the dimensions: Around 44 percent of the waste generated globally in 2016 was organic waste such as food and green waste (Source: Statista 2021). If the global annual emissions from food waste – some 3.3 billion tonnes – were released as a single country, that nation would be the world’s third largest polluter behind China and the United States (Source: © Circular – Magazine for resource and waste professionals 2021).

This is where pyrolysis comes into play: The carbonization of biomass in an oxygen-poor or oxygen-free environment converts about half of the carbon compounds in the biomass into biochar. This carbon-rich material is highly durable and resists biological or chemical decomposition. Left in the soil or used in other durable material applications, this biochar creates a carbon sink. This is, of course, provided that the provision of the biomass does not reduce existing carbon stocks.

These carbon sinks, just like reforestation and humus growth, are without alternative to counteract the climate crisis. After all, emission reductions alone are not enough. To achieve the goal of the European Union, which is to become climate neutral by 2050, the annual sink volume must increase to at least 850 million metric tons of CO₂.

Using the PYREG Standard System PX 1500, an average output of 690 tons of biochar can be produced every year. Incorporated into the soil as a soil improver, this can sequester as much CO₂ per year as 220,800 trees.

PyCCS is evolving into a decisive tool for global carbon governance, supporting both climate change mitigation and the sustainable development goals simultaneously.

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In order to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, as called for by the EU, two fundamentally different strands of action are required: on the one hand, the reduction of carbon emissions, and on the other, the creation of carbon sinks.

(source: Glen peters @ https://www.cicero.oslo.no/en/posts/climate-news/stylised-pathways-to-well-below-2c)

In the EU, this would require sequestering a carbon quantity on the order of 15% of 1990 emissions, or about 850 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent. Without carbon sinks, also known as negative emissions, climate neutrality and thus the Paris climate goals cannot be achieved.

There are a number of viable methods for creating carbon sinks, also known as Negative Emission Technologies (NET), that actively remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. The key to carbon efficiency is sequestration (i.e., storage) over as long a period of time as possible.

(source: EBI White Paper adjusted from MCC)

The European Biochar Certificate (EBC) for quality control was supplemented in June 2020 with a new standard for carbon sink certification (EBC, 2020). This provided a scientifically sound basis for quantifying the overall carbon sink performance of biochar applications. Key elements include:

1. Biomass production must be carbon neutral, i.e., it must not impact existing carbon sinks.
2. Emissions from the entire charring process (pyrolysis) must be subtracted. In particular, this includes emissions associated with the transport and processing of the biomass, any post-treatment, and the energy required to start the pyrolysis process.
3. Emissions from transporting the biochar to the point of use and, if applicable, emissions from further processing of the biochar must also be subtracted.
4. The final use of the biochar determines the durability of the carbon sink. For example, for soil applications, a scientifically based annual decay must be assumed. However, if the biochar is used as a sand replacement in concrete, for example, this is not necessary because the biochar cannot oxidize in the absence of air.

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