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Global warming, peak oil, and the ravages of synthetic agriculture are converging to form a perfect storm of ecological, social, and economic disruption. There are no simple solutions to this challenge, but there are glimmers of hope. One is biochar, finely ground charcoal incorporated as a soil amendment. In The Biochar Debate, James Bruges offers the first book-length introduction to biochar for non-scientists. He covers its surprisingly long (and long-lost) history and its potential benefits in combating climate change while boosting agricultural yields-even as it reduces dependence on synthetic chemicals or irrigation. He also explores biochar's potential misuse by corporations seeking to maintain "business as usual" at the expense of peasant farmers throughout the world. A clearly written, fair-minded guide to a fast-emerging-and already contentious-issue, The Biochar Debate offers a cautiously optimistic view of a key tool for addressing global problems.
1 Introduction 1
Charcoal and biochar
A visit to India
The players
2 An Overall View 10
Carbon
The atmosphere
The land
Limited resources Geo engineering
Downsides
Predictions
3 The Amazon Civilization 24
Dark soil (terra preta)
4 Biochar and Agriculture 29
Soil
Productivity
Peak oil
Peak phosphorus
Pandemics Introduction of biochar
Where, and how much? Permanence in soil
Application
5 Pilot Schemes 57
The banana grower
SCAD
Southern France Carbon Gold in Belize
Ghana
Poultry farm Cameroon
Microwave
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
6 Science 75
Photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Nitrous oxide
Safe level for greenhouse gases
Biochar
Nutrient qualities
7 Carbon Credits? 94
Cap-and-trade
The global economy
Experience: Europe
Biochar
Twin solutions
CMF: the Carbon Maintenance Fee
8 Summary 109
Selected bibliography 113
Index 116
About the Author 121
Overview
Global warming, peak oil, and the ravages of synthetic agriculture are converging to form a perfect storm of ecological, social, and economic disruption. There are no simple solutions to this challenge, but there are glimmers of hope. One is biochar, finely ground charcoal incorporated as a soil amendment. In The Biochar Debate, James Bruges offers the first book-length introduction to biochar for non-scientists. He covers its surprisingly long (and long-lost) history and its potential benefits in combating ...