Climate change 2014 - Synthesis Report

A quantitative review of the effects of biochar application to soils on crop productivity using meta-analysis

Better stewardship of land is needed to achieve the Paris Climate Agreement goal of holding warming to below 2 °C; however, confusion persists about the specific set of land stewardship options available and their mitigation potential. To address this, we identify and quantify "natural climate solutions" (NCS): 20 conservation, restoration, and improved land management actions that increase carbon storage and/or avoid greenhouse gas emissions across global forests, wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural lands. We find that the maximum potential of NCS-when constrained by food security, fiber security, and biodiversity conservation-is 23.8 petagrams of CO2 equivalent (PgCO2e) y-1 (95% CI 20.3-37.4). This is ≥30% higher than prior estimates, which did not include the full range of options and safeguards considered here. About half of this maximum (11.3 PgCO2e y-1) represents cost-effective climate mitigation, assuming the social cost of CO2 pollution is ≥100 USD MgCO2e-1 by 2030. Natural climate solutions can provide 37% of cost-effective CO2 mitigation needed through 2030 for a >66% chance of holding warming to below 2 °C. One-third of this cost-effective NCS mitigation can be delivered at or below 10 USD MgCO2-1 Most NCS actions-if effectively implemented-also offer water filtration, flood buffering, soil health, biodiversity habitat, and enhanced climate resilience. Work remains to better constrain uncertainty of NCS mitigation estimates. Nevertheless, existing knowledge reported here provides a robust basis for immediate global action to improve ecosystem stewardship as a major solution to climate change.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/114/44/11645.full.pdf

Natural climate solutions

Polycyclic Hydrocarbons Vol. 1. Pp. xxvi + 487. 126S. (With a chapter on carcinogenesis by Regina Schoental.) Vol. 2. Pp. lvii + 487. 140s. By E. Clar. (London and New York: Academic Press; Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1964.)

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Development of Biochar-Based Functional Materials: Toward a Sustainable Platform Carbon Material

https://people.clas.ufl.edu/azimmer/files/Publication-pdf/Zhao-Zimmerman-13_Heterogeneity-of-biochar-properties-as-a-function-of-feedstock-sources-and-prod-temp.pdf

Heterogeneity of biochar properties as a function of feedstock sources and production temperatures.

Biochar is the porous, carbonaceous material produced by thermochemical treatment of organic materials in an oxygen-limited environment. In general, most biochar can be considered resistant to chemical and biological decomposition, and therefore suitable for carbon (C) sequestration. However, to assess the C sequestration potential of different types of biochar, a reliable determination of their stability is needed. Several techniques for assessing biochar stability have been proposed, e.g. proximate analysis, oxygen (O): C ratio and hydrogen (H): C ratio; however, none of them are yet widely recognized nor validated for this purpose. Biochar produced from three feedstocks (Pine, Rice husk and Wheat straw) at four temperatures (350, 450, 550 and 650 °C) and two heating rates (5 and 100 °C min−1) was analysed using three methods of stability determination: proximate analysis, ultimate analysis and a new analytical tool developed at the UK Biochar Research Centre known as the Edinburgh accelerated ageing tool (Edinburgh stability tool). As expected, increased pyrolysis temperatures resulted in higher fractions of stable C and total C due to an increased release of volatiles. Data from the Edinburgh stability tool were compared with those obtained by the other methods, i.e. fixed C, volatile matter, O : C and H : C ratios, to investigate potential relationships between them. Results of this comparison showed that there was a strong correlation (R > 0.79) between the stable C determined by the Edinburgh stability tool and fixed C, volatile matter and O : C, however, H : C showed a weaker correlation (R = 0.65). An understanding of the influence of feedstock and production conditions on the long-term stability of biochar is pivotal for its function as a C mitigation measure, as production and use of unstable biochar would result in a relatively rapid return of C into the atmosphere, thus potentially intensifying climate change rather than alleviating it.

https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/gcbb.12030

The effect of pyrolysis conditions on biochar stability as determined by three methods

https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/14931900/Influence_of_production_conditions_on_the_yield_and_environmental_stability_of_biochar_self_archive.pdf

Influence of production conditions on the yield and environmental stability of biochar

https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/79828523/79828403._Masek._AAM.pdf

A critical review of clay-based composites with enhanced adsorption performance for metal and organic pollutants.

https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/37372783/37372723._AAM._Masek..pdf

Ondřej Mašek

Papers

Heterogeneity of biochar properties as a function of feedstock sources and production temperatures.

The effect of pyrolysis conditions on biochar stability as determined by three methods

Influence of production conditions on the yield and environmental stability of biochar

A critical review of clay-based composites with enhanced adsorption performance for metal and organic pollutants.

Indispensable role of biochar-inherent mineral constituents in its environmental applications: A review