International Biochar Initiative
The International Biochar Initiative (IBI) states that its mission is to "to promote the development of biochar systems that follow Cradle to Grave sustainability guidelines."[1]
The IBI describes its founding as follows:
- The International Biochar Initiative (IBI) was formed in July 2006 at a side meeting held at the World Soil Science Congress (WSSC) in Philadelphia, PA. At the 2006 meeting, individuals and representatives from academic institutions, commercial ventures, investment bankers, non-governmental organizations, federal agency representatives, and the policy arena from around the world acknowledged a common interest in promoting the research, development, demonstration, deployment (RDD&D) and commercialization of the promising technology of biochar production.[2]
The IBI has many members from the biochar industry (see "People", below).
Contents
Activities
In the runup to the COP15 climate talks in Copenhagen, fourteen governments have signed up to a call from the IBI for biochar to play a significant role in a post-2012 climate change agreement and in carbon trading.[3]
However, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned that biochar is "a new and poorly understood technology"; that feedstock for large-scale biomass (the raw materials from which biochar is made) is likely to come from biofuels, i.e. dedicated crop and tree plantations, a usage that should be approached "with great caution"; and that impacts on biodiversity and long-term agricultural sustainability are unknown.[4]
History
People
As at November 2009 IBI Board Members include:[5]
- Johannes Lehmann, Chairman of the Board, NY, USA
- Stephen Joseph, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Technical Director, NSW, Australia
- Ellen Baum, Treasurer, MA, USA
- David Wayne, UK
As at November 2009 IBI Advisory Committee Members are:[6]
- Jim Amonette, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, United States
- Perses Bilimoria, The Society of Biochar Initiatives, India
- Robert Brown, Iowa State University, Bioeconomy Institute, United States
- Lopa Brunjes, Biochar Engineering Corporation, United States
- Leonard Bull, Bull Mountain Enterprises Inc, United States
- Marta Camps Arbestain, New Zealand Biochar Research Centre, based at Massey University, New Zealand
- Annette Cowie, National Centre for Rural Greenhouse Gas Research/University of New England, Australia
- Brian Davies, Brincad Technologies, Canada
- Adriana Downie, Pacific Pyrolysis, Australia
- Nikolaus Foidl, Venearth, Australia/Austria
- Jim Fournier, Biochar Engineering Corporation, United States
- Karl Frogner, UB International, Mongolia and United States
- John Gaunt, Carbon Consulting LLC, United States
- Gerry Gillespie, Zero Waste Australia, Australia
- Mark Glover, Renewed Carbon, Australia
- Loraine K. Green, Private Consultant, United States
- Stephan Haefele, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines
- Lloyd Helferty, Canadian Biochar Initiative (CBI), Biochar Ontario; Biochar Consulting, Canada
- Tony Hunt, Transfield Services Pty Limited, Australia
- Ian Ireland, Prairie BioGas Ltd. (PBL), Canada
- Jim Ireland, Prairie BioGas Ltd. (PBL), Canada
- Davey Jones, Environment Centre Wales, United Kingdom
- John Kimble, Soil Consultant (Retired NRCS Research Scientist), United States
- Evelyn Krull, *CSIRO, Australia
- David Laird, *USDA/ARS, United States
- Chad Lipton, *Elysian Energy, United States
- David Manning, Newcastle University (Institute for Research on Environment & Sustainability), United Kingdom
- Mike Mason, Founder of *ClimateCare, now *JPMorgan ClimateCare, United Kingdom
- John Mathews, LUISS Guido Carli University, Italy
- Franco Miglietta, *Institute of Biometeorology (IBIMET), Italy
- Etelvino Henrique Novotny, Embrapa Soils (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), Brazil
- Peter Read, Massey University, New Zealand
- James Rust, Independent Farmer, Paraguay and Brazil
- Salim Mayeki Shaban, *African Christians Organization Network, Kenya
- Simon Shackley, UK Biochar Research Centre (UKBRC), University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Karen Siepen, Renewable Caron Resources Australia (RCRA), Australia
- Saran Sohi, UK Biochar Research Centre (UKBRC), University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Douglas M. VanThorre, TekGar, LLC, United States
- Ken Williamson, SymbiFlo Ltd, United Kingdom
Funding
Affiliations
Member of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership[7]
Publications
Contact
- Address: 26 Hillside Terrace, 10533 Irvington, United States of America
- Phone: 914 693 0496
- Email: info(AT)biochar-international.org
- Website: http://www.biochar-international.org
Resources
Notes
- ↑ About Us, IBI website, accessed 30 Nov 2009
- ↑ About Us, IBI website, accessed 30 Nov 2009
- ↑ Helena Paul et al., [Agriculture and climate change: Real problems, false solutions], Preliminary report by Econexus, Biofuelwatch, Grupo de Reflexikon Rural and NOAH - Friends of the Earth Denmark, Sept 2009, p.19
- ↑ Trumper et al., The Natural Fix?, UNEP, June 2009, p. 37
- ↑ Board and advisory committee, IBI website, accessed 29 Nov 2009
- ↑ Board and advisory committee, IBI website, accessed 29 Nov 2009
- ↑ International Biochar Initiative, REEEP website, accessed 1 Dec 2009
