A recent study reveals Bhutan’s potential to store 68% of its greenhouse gas emissions by converting crop residues into biochar, the highest among 12 countries noted in the report. This innovative approach could position Bhutan as a leader in sustainable agriculture and significant emissions reduction. Biochar is a carbon-rich, lightweight, black material that looks like charcoal and is used in soil to help crops grow. It has potential for mitigating climate change because the carbon in biochar can remain in the soil for a long time, rather than being released into the atmosphere as CO2. Globally, biochar has gained popularity due to its potential for mitigating climate change and improving soil health. A 2021 research review shows that biochar can store carbon, reduce greenhouse gases, boost plant growth, clean up heavy metal pollution and improve resource use, making it important for climate action, food security and sustainable practices. But the full potential of crop residue for use in biochar had not been fully studied, so a research team set out to create a set of high-resolution maps indicating crop residues and their estimated potential use in biochar in countries around the world. Bhutan came out on top. By turning crop leftovers into biochar, Bhutan can lower its emissions even more. Bhutan is already considered carbon-neutral, with emissions of 1.559 megatons of CO2, not counting land use changes and forestry. The country’s constitution requires 60% of land to be under forest cover at all times, which aids Bhutan’s position as a…This article was originally published on Mongabay
The post Biochar could play big role in Bhutan’s carbon storage — but it’s news to farmers first appeared on EnviroLink Network.