Northeast Biochar Symposium 2009

On November 13th the University of Massachusetts in Amherst is hosting the 2009 Northeast Biochar Symposium. This all day event will highlight current biochar research, technological advances and provide the most recent biochar information available. Two keynote speakers at this event are Johannes Lehmann and Dr. Christoph Steiner. Johannes Lehmann is a biochar expert and author of the book Biochar for Environmental Management: Science and Technology. He conducts his experimental research at Cornell University. His two presentations at the Biochar Symposium are titled “Biochar & Soil Fertility” and “Biochar & Carbon Sequestration”. Dr. Christoph Steiner is also a biochar expert who has participated in the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference. His two presentations are titled “Biochar and Soil Fertility” and “Biochar in the UN Climate Talk”. As a whole the Symposium will provide a forum for research exchange, stimulate biochar discussions, allow for an advanced networking setting and establish a Northeast Biochar Initiative. The event is to also gain national media attention for biochar.  To register for the Northeast Biochar Symposium 2009 or to learn more you can visit http://www.nsm.umass.edu/biochar09/schedule.html

Political Forces Uniting for Climate Change

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John Kerry (D-MA) have joined forces in writing an opinion piece calling for senate unity to create a bipartisan agreement on dealing with climate change. The piece was 2 pages in length and published by the New York Times. In its context was the outlining of agreements both parties should compromise on to achieve an advantageous bill. The first issue discussed calls for unanimous consent that as a country we need to aggressively cut greenhouse gas emissions through a market-based system that will provide flexibility and an appropriate time-line for big polluters. It was noted that a failure to do so would threaten our economy and national security. Also written to be included in legislation was the importance of pursuing emission-free, nuclear power and breaking our dependence on oil from hostile nations. “Even climate change skeptics should recognize that reducing our dependence on foreign oil and increasing our energy efficiency strengthens our national security. Both of us served in the military. We know that sending nearly $800 million a day to sometimes-hostile oil-producing countries threatens our security”. At the end of the piece the senators pointed out that a failure to come to agreements and pass legislation would result in the Environmental Protection Agency imposing new regulations, which “...are likely to be tougher and they certainly will not include the job protections and investment incentives we are proposing”. [1]

Also in the news for shifting positions on climate change was Chinese President Hu Jintao. Jintao’s speech is being called the first climate change speech spoken by a Chinese leader addressed to the United Nations. The President announced that China will be reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing its reliance on clean energy sources. Although no target levels for cutting emissions were mentioned, China did say they would develop both renewable and nuclear energy technologies. Additionally, China is to increase forest cover by 40 million hectares to sequester carbon as emission offsets. [2]

                

[1] “Yes We Can (Pass Climate Change Legislation)” John Kerry and Lindsey Graham. New York Times. 10/10/09. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/opinion/11kerrygraham.html_r=1&sq=john%20kerry,%20lindsey%20graham%20opinion%20piece&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&pagewanted=2&adxnnlx=1255370468-pkcBYTYaYODzGWEPsMNdxQ           

[2] “Chinese President Pledges Steps to Combat Climate Change”. CNN. 9/22/09.http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/22/un.china.climate/index.html

Businesses and Investors are Advocating for Climate Change Regulation

The US Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation and is consistently a well-known leader in lobbying expenditures. The Chamber represents 3 million businesses of all sizes and sectors [1] but will no longer be representing some big companies like Apple due to the Chambers stance on climate change. [2]

                

The Obama administration recently instructed the EPA to be the regulator of greenhouse gas emissions with or without congressional approval. In response to that, the Chamber of Commerce just filed a 21-page petition to the EPA. In the petition the Chamber is asking the EPA to hold a public debate on the science behind climate change. Bill Kovacs, the Chamber’s VP for environmental, regulatory and government affairs, said “They don’t have the science to support the endangerment findings...we can’t just take their word for it”. EPA Deputy Press Secretary, Brenden Gilfillan, rejected the Chamber saying that a debate on this issue wouldn’t be moving America forward. [3]

             

Nike is to leave its position on the board of directors [4] while Apple Inc., Exelon Corp., PG&E and PNM Resources have all recently reported that they are leaving the US Chamber of Commerce based on the Chamber’s opposition to climate change regulation. Nike believes that US businesses should be advocators for climate change legislation not roadblocks. [5] Nike is even a founding member of “BICEP” which stands for “Businesses for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy”. Additional founders are Levi Strauss and Co., Starbucks, Sun Microsystems, and Timberland. Members of “BICEP” include Aspen Skiing Co., Cliff bar & Co., eBay, Gap Inc., The North Face, Seventh Generation, Symantec, and Jones Lang LaSalle. [6]

          

Additionally, 181 of the world’s top investors controlling 13 trillion dollars are demanding for a strong binding agreement in Copenhagen this December. Mindy S. Lubber, President of Ceres and Director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk, said: “Investors have a crucial role to play in building a low-carbon, energy efficient global economy. But without strong policies that encourage clean technologies and discourage high-polluting technologies, their hands are tied.” [7]

            

With the government and civilian population pushing for climate change legislation it appeared that the only missing party was businesses and investors. With the addition of these new members the climate change argument has once again strengthened. It is now overwhelming likely that some type of regulation will be in effect soon.

        

[1] “The US Chamber of Commerce”. http://www.uschamber.com/default. 10/6/09.

         

[2] “Climate change war roils US Chamber of Commerce.” Los Angelos Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/10/climate-change-war-roils-us-chamber-of-commerce.html

          

[3] “Chamber Threatens Lawsuit if EPA Rejects Climate Science Trial”. Michael Burnham. New York Times.  http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/08/25/25climatewire-chamber-threatens-lawsuit-if-epa-rejects-cli-62828.html

      

[4] “Nike Opposes US Chamber of Commerce & Leaves Board, over Climate Change. Zachary Shahan. http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/04/nike-opposes-us-chamber-of-commerce-leaves-board-climate-change/

        

[5]"Apple leaves U.S. Chamber over stance on climate change bill". Jim Snyder. http://thehill.com/homenews/news/61669-apple-becomes-fourth-company-to-leave-us-chamber

[6] “Nike, Starbucks demand Congress to Act on Climate Change”. Jerry James Jones. http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/11/19/nike-starbucks-demand-congress-to-act-on-climate-change/

        

[7] “100s of Investors (with 13 trillion) Demand Strong Climate Deal in Copenhagen”.  Zachary Shahan. http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/18/hundreds-of-companies-with-13-trillion-demand-strong-climate-deal-in-copenhagen/

Senators on Board

Amazingly enough a bipartisan group of senators have come to an agreement and are sponsoring a new bill. Harry Reid (D-NV), John Tester (D-MT), Max Baucus (D-MT), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Tom Udall (D-NM) have introduced a proposal to promote research and funding for biochar production and technologies. The bill is titled “WECHAR” standing for “Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvest & Restoration Act of 2009”. As problems in western states are rising with invasive species, water efficiency, dead biomass fueling fires, and destructive pine beetles, an interest in biochar is rapidly growing. 1)

             

The bill states that the pine beetle has killed thousands of acres of standing forests creating an immense build up of dead trees that now pose as a serious fire threat. Additionally, it references salt cedar as an invasive plant species covering over a million acres consuming 200 gallons of water per plant each day. The bill intends to use these problems as a feedstock resource to produce biochar. Invasive species as well as dead biomass can be harvested solving many of these problems and then be used to create biochar. The biochar is to be applied back into the soil creating an even healthier landscape. Among many other benefits as a soil amendment, biochar absorbs both nutrients and water making it available to plant roots at all times. This should surely help restore the lush western landscapes we were once familiar with. 1) 

            

Additionally, this bill provides benefits in a global manner. When plants decay they release the carbon captured during its growth process into the atmosphere. But if those same plants are used for biochar production, about 40% of the carbon originally in the plants will remain in biochar and be sequestered for thousands of years. Approximately one ton of biochar stores 3-3.6 tons of C02. Thus biochar is considered a carbon-sequestering agent helping to reduce the trend of climate change. 2)

                

In other news, an entirely different bill is also being pushed this week. The senate's environmental committee will take up an energy and climate-change bill that calls for stricter limits than those already approved by the house. The climate bill passed by the house calls for a 17% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020. This new bill co-sponsored by Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) is pushing for a 20% reduction rate. 3)

1) Greenbang 

-www.greenbang.com/as-west-dries-and-burns-us-senators-mull-biochar-bill_11927.html

2) Ecopreneur

-www.ecopreneur.co.za/2009/09/28/what-is-biochar-and-how-is-it-made/

3) Facts came from Jim Tankersley (LA Times) 

-www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-climate30-2009sep30,0,128921.story