The Nordic Biochar Network (NBN) is an association, established in December 2019. The aim of the network is to spread knowledge about biochar to a broad community and initiating collaboration within the Nordic countries to strengthen biochar research and utilization. Biochar is an inexpensive and readily available method to capture and store CO2 from the atmosphere and help adapt to the effects of climate change. It can be used at any scale and is available to everyone. By providing education and guidance, the potential climate benefits can be significant.
Through funding from the Norwegian Research Council, the Nordic Biochar Network could organize a two-day online workshop on biochar in urban areas, a series of webinars, presenting biochar research results as well as support the data collection of the annual market report of the European Biochar Industry consortium (EBI).
Short-term:
- The Nordic Biochar Network has continued its activities withing the Nordics. Several workshops and webinars could be arranged, with participants from numerous countries. Close cooperation between the national networks in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark are ongoing. Webinars and workshops have been used to disseminate research results, making them available to a broad audience, including farmers, municipalities, businesses, academia and private people. Through connections made in the project, industry partners could be engaged in project proposals. The network has thereby reached its short-tem goals.
- Medium and long-term goals are beyond the scope of the project duration, but the success and popularity of biochar in the last years is promising for the future development of the network.
The Nordic Biochar Network (NBN) is a newly established association, aiming to spread knowledge about biochar to a broad community and initiating collaboration within the Nordic countries to strengthen biochar research and utilization. Biochar is an inexpensive and readily available method to capture and store CO2 from the atmosphere and help adapt to the effects of climate change. It can be used at any scale and is available to everyone. By providing education and guidance, the potential climate benefits can be significant.
With this proposal, we are seeking funding for three specific activities for the network:
- An urban tree workshop, in which we want to educate municipalities and other public and private stakeholders on the benefits of biochar in an urban context, how it can be used to create carbon sinks in cities, enhance green areas and utilize its properties to cope with the effects of climate change.
- A series of scientific publication reviews, in which we screen and summarize the latest findings on biochar and make them available to a broad audience
- An annual biochar production survey, in which we establish an overview over the Nordic biochar market, including its production capacity and the annually produced amoounts of biochar.
Funding scheme:
MILUTARENA-Formidlings- og koordineringstiltak knyttet for miljø- og utviklingsforskning