NGOs slam EU Commission plan to certify biochar as permanent CO2 removal

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🗞️ Driving the news: NGOs are strongly criticizing a new EU Commission plan to certify biochar as a permanent carbon dioxide (CO2) removal method
• The draft regulations have sparked outrage, with environmental groups considering legal action
• They argue that the proposal does not align with EU law and could undermine the credibility of carbon offset strategies

🔭 The context: Biochar, a substance produced by heating organic material in the absence of oxygen, is being promoted as a tool to sequester carbon long-term
• The EU Commission’s plan to recognize biochar as a permanent CO2 removal method is part of a broader effort to meet the EU’s climate goals
• However, NGOs assert that the current draft rules are insufficiently robust in ensuring biochar’s long-term efficacy in carbon storage and could lead to the greenwashing of carbon offset initiatives

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The controversy over biochar certification highlights ongoing debates about the role of carbon removal technologies in achieving global climate targets
• While biochar could theoretically offer a way to lock carbon into the soil for hundreds or thousands of years, concerns about its long-term effectiveness and the environmental impacts of large-scale production remain
• The outcome of this regulatory battle could set important precedents for how carbon removal methods are evaluated and certified in the future

⏭️ What's next: The EU Commission will likely face continued pressure from environmental groups to amend the biochar certification rules to ensure stricter monitoring and accountability
• Legal challenges could delay or block the proposal, forcing the Commission to revise its approach
• Broader discussions around carbon capture and removal strategies will intensify, as stakeholders work to establish reliable and verifiable methods to achieve climate goals

💬 One quote: "The draft rules fail to ensure that biochar is a permanent, effective, and truly sustainable CO2 removal solution." — Statement from a leading NGO

📈 One stat: A recent study found that biochar could potentially sequester up to 2.5 gigatons of CO2 annually if applied to global agriculture, although this potential is highly contested by critics

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