biochar

Energy

"Minerals and gases are either a part of a tendency for life, or of a tendency for lifelessness. My husbandry can swing the balance one way or the other. Humanity as a whole is choosing to swing the balance towards a lifeless planet," writes Patrick Noble.

Submission to the European Commission on a strategy for long-term greenhouse gas reductions

In this submission we argue that the EC's overall goals need to be re-examined if it is truly to eliminate greenhouse gases. The focus now needs to be on wellbeing, not on growth.

Submission to Public Consultation on Development of Strategic Research and Innovation Agendas

This submission was made by Feasta on March 6 to the Irish Department of Agriculture regarding "Sustainable Food Production and Processing" and "Food for Health". It describes 10 high level goals that we believe can and should be progressed. It goes on to outline the proposed research that would further these goals, and to explain what the expected results would be and how they could be measured.

Biochar (from Sharing for Survival)

James Bruges provides a useful overview of biochar - charcoal produced for agricultural purposes - based on research from India, the UK and Mozambique. One hope for biochar is for increased global food production while permanently enhancing soil. The other hope is that it could help the struggle against climate change.

Cap and Share in India (from Sharing for Survival)

Should the funds from Cap and Share be distributed equally to individuals or are there better ways of using them? Indians are even more in need of financial help than those suffering from austerity programmes in the west, but James Bruges explains why he believes it would be better to distribute to community organisations in India. He starts his chapter of Sharing for Survival with some comments on climate and also covers related economic issues.

Turning the land from an emissions source to a carbon sink

By Corinna Byrne, from Fleeing Vesuvius. Farming and other land-based activities could do a lot to mitigate global warming. Ireland needs new policies to get its land to absorb CO2 rather than release it. The large amounts of carbon locked up in the country’s peatlands must be safeguarded and damaged bogs restored so that they can sequester carbon again. In addition, the use of biochar could reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions and build up the fertility and carbon content of the soil.

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