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Charcoal to Reduce Global Charcoal to Reduce Global Warming and Increase Soil Warming and Increase Soil Fertility: Fertility: Costs and Benefits Costs and Benefits Ainiwaer Alimasi Clark University

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Page 1: Charcoal to Reduce Global Warming and Increase Soil ... · Charcoal to Reduce Global Warming and Increase Soil Fertility: Costs and Benefits Ainiwaer Alimasi ... • reduce release

Charcoal to Reduce Global Charcoal to Reduce Global Warming and Increase Soil Warming and Increase Soil

Fertility: Fertility: Costs and Benefits Costs and Benefits

Ainiwaer AlimasiClark University

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TERRA PRETATERRA PRETATERRA PRETA

An ancient Amazonian Indian technology to increase soil fertility and store carbon. Recently rediscovered, it is the best way to sequester CO2.

An ancient Amazonian An ancient Amazonian Indian technology to Indian technology to increase soil fertility and increase soil fertility and store carbon. Recently store carbon. Recently rediscovered,rediscovered, itit is the best is the best way to sequester CO2.way to sequester CO2.

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What do we find in these What do we find in these anomalous black earths?anomalous black earths?

©G

lase

r

“Terra Preta do Indio”Oxisol

0-30 cm

250 Mg ha –1 m –1 C0-30 cm

100 Mg ha –1 m –1 C

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TerraTerra PretaPreta: A 2000 Year Old Soil : A 2000 Year Old Soil ExperimentExperiment

(Steiner, 2002)

• Man-Made Soil Plots

• Average size 20 ha

• Carbon dated at 800 B.C-500 A.D

• High Carbon Content (9%)

• Local farmers prize terra preta which yields as much as three fold crop yields as surrounding infertile tropical soils.

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Dark Earth for SaleDark Earth for Sale

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New Mining AreaNew Mining Area

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Terra Terra preta preta sites are so valuedsites are so valued

they are dug up and sold for they are dug up and sold for potting soilpotting soil

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Science Magazine

Some of the many articles and movies Some of the many articles and movies

NATURE MagazineBBC Documentary

Biological Fertile Soils Plant and Soil 2004 Book

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Science Science Magazine Magazine August 2002August 2002

(Steiner, 2002)

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

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Charcoal Carbon SequestrationCharcoal Carbon Sequestration

• Biomass carbon is converted to charcoal and then put back into the soil.

• About 2500 gigatons (Gt) of carbon are stored in soils

• This is about 4 times as much as atmospheric CO2 or total global forest biomass carbon.

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Charcoal Carbon Sequestration Charcoal Carbon Sequestration (cont(cont’’d)d)

• Addition of charcoal to soils can store significant amount of carbon, for up to hundreds of millions of years.

•• This is a permanent carbon sink, unlike This is a permanent carbon sink, unlike forests which are only temporary forests which are only temporary

•• However forest carbon is eligible for carbon However forest carbon is eligible for carbon credits while soil carbon is not!credits while soil carbon is not!

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Conventional Carbon Sequestration Conventional Carbon Sequestration MethodsMethods

•• Currently carbon capture and storage (CCS) Currently carbon capture and storage (CCS) method is employing and the sequestration costs method is employing and the sequestration costs approximately between $20approximately between $20--25/tCO2 which is 25/tCO2 which is including capturing, transporting and injecting including capturing, transporting and injecting costs. However, this cost is not include the cost costs. However, this cost is not include the cost of fossil fuel and of power plant which is part of of fossil fuel and of power plant which is part of the cost of producing CO2. the cost of producing CO2.

•• Even if all fossil fuel carbon could be Even if all fossil fuel carbon could be sequestered, this would only slow, not reverse, sequestered, this would only slow, not reverse, CO2 buildup in the atmosphere.CO2 buildup in the atmosphere.

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Carbon Sequestration by charcoalCarbon Sequestration by charcoal

•• Charcoal carbon sequestration is the only Charcoal carbon sequestration is the only means that can reduce the 34% excess of means that can reduce the 34% excess of CO2 already in the atmosphereCO2 already in the atmosphere

•• The charcoal has many direct benefits, The charcoal has many direct benefits, greatly increasing soil fertility through its greatly increasing soil fertility through its capacity to retain water and nutrientscapacity to retain water and nutrients..

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Benefits of Charcoal Carbon SequestrationBenefits of Charcoal Carbon Sequestration

•• Direct benefits: Direct benefits: -- increase crop yields, up to 200%, and 266% in some increase crop yields, up to 200%, and 266% in some casescases

-- increase food security and decrease rural povertyincrease food security and decrease rural poverty-- Reduce the amount of organic and inorganic fertilizer Reduce the amount of organic and inorganic fertilizer useuse-- reduce soil erosion and degradationreduce soil erosion and degradation-- improve soil quality by improving porosity, water improve soil quality by improving porosity, water holding capacity and cation exchange capacityholding capacity and cation exchange capacity

-- income generation by selling charcoal income generation by selling charcoal

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Benefits of Charcoal Carbon Sequestration Benefits of Charcoal Carbon Sequestration (cont(cont’’d)d)

•• improve soil fertility by reducing nutrient improve soil fertility by reducing nutrient leaching. leaching.

•• increase above ground and below ground increase above ground and below ground biomass growth and carbon storage. biomass growth and carbon storage.

•• reduce release of nitrous oxide and methane reduce release of nitrous oxide and methane from soil. from soil.

•• reduce need for deforestationreduce need for deforestation. .

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Charcoal Research in Japan and AsiaCharcoal Research in Japan and Asia

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Forest floor of Acacia plantation was covered by rice husk charcoal 5 cm in depth. Earthworm population increased soon after the treatment because of neutralization of top soil.

Effect of charcoal on Acacia Effect of charcoal on Acacia mangiummangium

Root growth and nodule formation - Indonesia (Okimori, Yamato 2000)

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NPKcharcoal

control

NPK

charcoal

Effect of bark charcoal and fertilizer on the plant growth and soil properties in south Sumatra (Yamato 2004 unpublished)

control

Bark Charcoal and FertilizerBark Charcoal and Fertilizer

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Siregar, (2004 Indonesia), Forest and Nature Conservation Research and Development Center

CCharcoal harcoal additions to additions to A. A. mangiummangium Seedlings Seedlings Height and diameter significantly increased at age of 6 months in comparison to a control

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Before 1998 Sep.

Ogawa 1999, Kansai Environmental

Charcoal has Benefits for Existing ForestsCharcoal has Benefits for Existing ForestsRecovering of Pine Tree from Wilting by Charcoal Treatment after a year

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Before 1998 Sep.

The growth of pine root and mycorrhiza formation started at 5 to 6 months after treatment

After 1999 Oct.

Ogawa 1999, Kansai Environmental

Results of Charcoal Treatment after a yearResults of Charcoal Treatment after a year

Charcoal has Benefits for Existing ForestsResults of Charcoal Treatment after a year

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3 Year Field Trial Studies3 Year Field Trial Studies

Christoph Steiner1, W. G. Teixeira2, J. Lehmann3 and W. Zech1

1 Institute of Soil Science, University of Bayreuth, Germany- 2 Embrapa Amazonia Ocidental, Manaus, Brazil

-3 Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University, USA

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00.20.40.60.8

11.21.41.6

Biomass Yield Total

t/ha

with charcoal

without charcoal

267%881%

366%

Project Introduction Experiments, Trials & ResultsApplication

Experiments Rice/Sorghum Plots second harvest

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3 Year Results Summary3 Year Results Summary

Christoph Steiner1, W. G. Teixeira2, J. Lehmann3 and W. Zech1

1 Institute of Soil Science, University of Bayreuth, Germany- 2 Embrapa Amazonia Ocidental, Manaus, Brazil

-3 Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University, USA

49% ave crop yield increase over the 3 year study

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Application of charcoal and reduced Application of charcoal and reduced carbon loss from soilcarbon loss from soil

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Relationship Between Charcoal Amendments Relationship Between Charcoal Amendments

to Soil and Crop Responseto Soil and Crop Response

sandsandOatsOats12712733.633.6CharcoalCharcoal

Xanthic Xanthic ferralsolferralsol

RiceRice12012067.267.2CharcoalCharcoal

XanthicXanthicferrasolferrasol

CowpeaCowpea15015067.267.2CharcoalCharcoal

XanthicXanthicferralsolferralsol

CowpeaCowpea200200135.2135.2CharcoalCharcoal

XanthicXanthicferralsolferralsol

CowpeaCowpea100100ControlControl

Soil typeSoil typePlant typePlant typeBiomass Biomass production production (%)(%)

Amendments Amendments (Mg/ha)(Mg/ha)

Treatment Treatment

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Char greatly increases Char greatly increases biomass productionbiomass production

020406080

100120140160180200

0 50 100 150

CHAR ADDED (Mg/Ha)

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Its Role in Preventing DesertificationIts Role in Preventing Desertification

•• Increase soil fertility, water holding capacity, and Increase soil fertility, water holding capacity, and improve nutrient retention rate. improve nutrient retention rate.

•• Charcoal application to sandy soils would Charcoal application to sandy soils would increase plant growth rate of 127%.increase plant growth rate of 127%.

•• Charcoal application to sandy soils increase Charcoal application to sandy soils increase available soil moisture by 18%. available soil moisture by 18%.

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Eliminating excess CO2Eliminating excess CO2Atmospheric CO2 is already 34% higher than levels that Atmospheric CO2 is already 34% higher than levels that caused global temperatures to rise by 1 degree C, sea caused global temperatures to rise by 1 degree C, sea level to rise by 7 level to rise by 7 metres metres (25 feet) and allowed crocodiles (25 feet) and allowed crocodiles and hippopotamuses to live in London, England and hippopotamuses to live in London, England 130,000 years ago.130,000 years ago.It is not enough to slow the growth of CO2, to avoid It is not enough to slow the growth of CO2, to avoid dangerous climatedangerous climate change the excess CO2 in the change the excess CO2 in the atmosphereatmosphere must be removedmust be removedThisThis can be done by increasingcan be done by increasing globalglobal soil carbon by soil carbon by only 8% from around 0.5% by weight to around 0.54% only 8% from around 0.5% by weight to around 0.54% with char, but should be focused on agricultural soilswith char, but should be focused on agricultural soils

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Conclusions and Summary Conclusions and Summary

•• Charcoal application to soil has a huge carbon Charcoal application to soil has a huge carbon sequestration potential and it is a permanent carbon sequestration potential and it is a permanent carbon sink. sink.

•• Charcoal carbon sequestration is the only method that Charcoal carbon sequestration is the only method that is able to reduce atmospheric CO2, not like other is able to reduce atmospheric CO2, not like other approaches which just slow down CO2 buildup speed. approaches which just slow down CO2 buildup speed.

•• It can generate great benefits to farmers and has It can generate great benefits to farmers and has potential to poverty alleviation. potential to poverty alleviation.

•• It is a lowIt is a low--tech and costtech and cost--effective way to effective way to prevent/reverse desertification. prevent/reverse desertification.

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Literature citedLiterature cited• Day, Danny., Steiner, Christoph., Evans, Bob., Lee, James., Reicosky, Don., Das, K C.,

Realf, Matthew., Zhang, Ling. 2005. Bioenergy: Status, Trends and Future of the South's Forest and Agricultural Biomass, The presentation at National Association of Conservation Districts.

•• Glaser, Bruno., Glaser, Bruno., HaumaierHaumaier, Ludwig., , Ludwig., GuggenbergerGuggenberger, Georg., and Zech, Wolfgang., , Georg., and Zech, Wolfgang., 2001, The 'Terra 2001, The 'Terra Preta' Preta' Phenomenon: A Model for Sustainable Agriculture in the Phenomenon: A Model for Sustainable Agriculture in the Humid Tropic, Published online, Humid Tropic, Published online, SpringerSpringer--VerlagVerlag, , Naturwissenschaften Naturwissenschaften (2001) 88:37(2001) 88:37--41. 41.

• Glaser, Bruno., Johannes Lehmann, Wolfgang Zech, April 2002, Ameliorating physical and chemical properties of highly weathered soils in the tropics with charcoal - a review, Springer-Verlag 2002, Biol Fertil Soils (2002) 35:2 19-230, DO1 10.1007/~00374-002-0466

•• Houghton, John. 2004. Global Warming, Third edition, Cambridge, Houghton, John. 2004. Global Warming, Third edition, Cambridge, Cambridge Cambridge University PressUniversity Press

• Stephens, Jennie C., and Bob van der Zwaan. 2005. The Case for Carbon Capture and Storage: the technology is advancing rapidly; Now the government needs to lead the push for deployment. Issues in Science and Technology. 22.1 (Fall 2005): 68(9 ).

• Steiner, Christoph, W. G. Texeira, J. Lehmann, and W. Zech, 2004. Energy and Agricultural Carbon Utilization, Energy and Carbon Symposium, University of Georgia, June 10-11, 2004.