Transforming agricultural waste into biochar can potentially generate renewable energy, capture carbon, improve soil health, and mitigate climate change. However, its adoption is still minimal due to ambiguity in the realisation of associated benefits, as the evidence of its impact on crop yield based on on-farm data is very limited. In this study, we analysed a comprehensive dataset of 962 households across three states of India, viz. Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha. Findings show that the application of biochar had a positive and significant effect on crop yield enhancement (4.34%) and net return (29.34%), and a reduction in cost of cultivation (1.52%). However, the effect size is much smaller than that reported in experimental studies conducted in controlled conditions. Farmers who are more experienced in farming, have irrigation facilities, and diversify crops and enterprises perceive benefits from biochar. Improvement in soil fertility is the primary benefit farmers perceive from biochar, whereas the limited availability of biochar and lack of incentives are the major constraints in adoption. The study suggests strategies and policies for outscaling and creating enabling environments for biochar production in Indian agriculture.
Tag: Carbon sequestration
GHG emissions from recent peat forest disturbances: A driver-specific analysis across Indonesia, Peru, and DRC
Consistent data on tropical peat forest disturbances and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remain limited. We quantified and compared driver-specific GHG emissions from aboveground biomass (AGB) loss, peat decomposition and fire from peat forest disturbances in Indonesia, Peru, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over 2020-2021. Direct drivers were identified through visual interpretation of Planet (4.77 m) and Sentinel-2A (10 m) imagery for 1000 randomly sampled disturbance events per country. We estimated CO2 emissions from AGB loss using pre-disturbance data from the Climate Change Initiative Biomass product. Emissions (CO2, CH4 and N2O) from peat decomposition were calculated using driver-specific emission factors. We computed emissions from fire applying refined values for prescribed peat fires. Large-scale agriculture was the primary driver of emissions in Indonesia (48%), followed by smallholder agriculture (26%), and grassland (10%). Conversely, smallholder agriculture was the dominant driver of emissions in Peru (59%) and DRC (94%). Logging contributed to emissions across all countries, while mining, road development, and river meandering were relevant mainly in Indonesia and Peru; windstorms played a minor role in Peru. Fire accounted for half of emissions and was predominantly linked to agriculture (80% in Indonesia, 75% in Peru, and 95% in DRC). Overall, CO2 was the dominant GHG (72%), followed by CH4 (20%) and N2O (8%). Across countries, combined emissions from AGB loss, peat decomposition and fire in the disturbance year (2020) exceeded post-disturbance peat decomposition emissions in 2021 by 19-20 times. Nevertheless, cumulative peat decomposition over two decades will eventually reach the massive emissions released from all sources in the disturbance year. Our analysis provides the first systematic cross-country comparison of driver-specific GHG emissions in tropical peat forests, underscoring the major role of fire associated with agricultural expansion and the long-term importance of post-disturbance peat decomposition. These findings offer key insights to inform (inter) national emission reduction policies and strengthen reporting of peat forest emissions under frameworks such as the Paris Agreement.
Priority research questions in global peatland science
Peatlands are among Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon stores and are crucial for climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and water security. Yet peatlands worldwide are deteriorating under pressures from climate change and human disturbance. Strategic, globally coordinated research is urgently needed to protect, restore and manage peatlands so they can continue to deliver essential ecosystem services. To meet this challenge, here we present a global research prioritisation for peatland science, based on a two-stage online survey and expert voting exercise involving 467 participants from 54 countries. We identify 50 priority research questions spanning carbon dynamics, climate impacts, restoration and management, technological innovation, and community and policy engagement. These questions provide a community-informed agenda to guide peatland research over the next decade. Addressing them will help close critical knowledge gaps, strengthen evidence-based decision making, and support the role of peatlands in achieving global climate and biodiversity goals.
New species-specific allometric models for above- and below-ground biomass and carbon content of young mangroves
Mangroves restoration plays a vital role in climate change mitigation, with carbon sequestration capability as a key indicator. However, most existing allometric models used for biomass estimation are developed from mature trees and are unsuitable for young mangroves due to limitations in the availability of predictor variables. These models rely on diameter at breast height (DBH) to predict biomass, making them inapplicable for young mangroves in the early restoration phase, which do not yet have a measurable DBH. This study develops species-specific allometric equations for estimating aboveground (AGB) and belowground biomass (BGB) of young mangroves across four species: Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Kandelia candel, Rhizophora apiculata, and Rhizophora mucronata. Samples were collected using destructive methods along with structural measurement to develop species-specific allometric models using simple power equation and compared with existing models. Biomass distribution was highest in the stem, followed by branches and stilt-roots, then lowest in roots. Carbon content was relatively uniform among different tree components, except for lower values in roots. AGB proportion generally exceeded BGB, except in R. apiculata, with root-to-shoot ratios ranging from 0.43 to 1.31. The best AGB and BGB models showed high goodness of fit (Adj R² = 0.94–0.95 and 0.83–0.97, respectively). Validation showed species-specific performance varied among AGB models (RMSE = 0.07–0.20; MAPE = 0.15–0.25) and among BGB models (RMSE = 0.04–0.43; MAPE = 0.13–0.40). Compared to existing allometric models for mangrove saplings, these new models enhance biomass estimation accuracy for young mangroves that are essential in restoration monitoring and complement existing equations suited for mature trees. Notably, this study provides the first allometric model for K. candel in Indonesia and includes BGB estimates, which are still limited in mangroves research.
Modeling vegetation carbon stock and soil greenhouse gas emission dynamics in undrained degraded peat swamp forests of Indonesia and Peru
Data on vegetation carbon storage and soil greenhouse gas (GHG) dynamics in degraded undrained peatlands, and their recovery timeframes, are limited. Additionally, despite their important extent across the tropics, these systems remain unconsidered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidelines for GHG inventories. We modified the existing DeNitrification DeComposition model to simulate undegraded and degraded undrained peat swamp forests in Indonesia and Peru. We simulated partial clearing for agroforestry and burning in Indonesia, and in Peru selective timber harvesting and Mauritia flexuosa palm cutting for fruit harvest. Based on model results, we derived peat onsite CO2, N2O, and CH4 emission factors (EF), assessed timeframes for recovery of vegetation C stocks and peat GHG emissions, and investigated relationships among peat GHG fluxes and biophysical controls. Vegetation carbon stocks recovered 40 years after modeled disturbance in Indonesia, and 80 years post-disturbance in Peru. Simulated degradation increased the peat onsite CO2 EF during the first decade post-disturbance by 557% and 121% in Indonesia and Peru, respectively, with recovery by the second decade post-disturbance at both locations. Degradation also induced an increase in soil N2O emissions in Indonesia (344%) and Peru (323%), with elevations persisting for four decades. As in field observations, simulated disturbances tended to raise CH4 emissions in Indonesia and lower them in Peru, but not substantially. Temporal variations in modeled peat onsite CO2 and N2O EF were linked to degradation-driven changes in soil C:N ratio, and for peat CH4 fluxes to water table and soil moisture dynamics unrelated to disturbance. Our results suggest elevation of peat GHG emissions in these forests up to four decades after anthropogenic disturbances that need accounting in national GHG inventories.
Pantropical tree rings show small effects of drought on stem growth
Increasing drought pressure under anthropogenic climate change may jeopardize the potential of tropical forests to capture carbon in woody biomass and act as a long-term carbon dioxide sink. To evaluate this risk, we assessed drought impacts in 483 tree-ring chronologies from across the tropics and found an overall modest stem growth decline (2.5% with a 95% confidence interval of 2.2 to 2.7%) during the 10% driest years since 1930. Stem growth declines exceeded 10% in 25% of cases and were larger at hotter and drier sites and for gymnosperms compared with angiosperms. Growth declines generally did not outlast drought years and were partially mitigated by growth stimulation in wet years. Thus, pantropical forest carbon sequestration through stem growth has hitherto shown drought resilience that may, however, diminish under future climate change.
Early-stage sustainability assessment of greywater treatment with Moringa oleifera seed extract and biochar
Access to safe and reliable water remains a significant challenge in much of the Global South, especially in rural areas where greywater treatment infrastructure is lacking. This study presents an early-stage sustainability assessment of a novel system that utilises biochar and Moringa oleifera seed extracts to treat greywater in rural Kenyan households. The proposed solution combines local biochar, a by-product of wood gasification cookstoves, and powdered Moringa oleifera seed cake, a residue from local agroforestry activities. The presented assessment applied a qualitative approach that integrates life cycle, circular bioeconomy, and sustainable sanitation principles. The key sustainability opportunities involved in the assessed system include improved human health and hygiene, the carbon sequestration potential of biochar, greywater reuse, and efficient use of local biomass resources. However, the system also involves risks related to filter media disposal, nutrient loss and system maintenance. The analysis highlights the trade-offs between using Moringa oleifera seed cake for water purification and animal feed. Moreover, the early-stage assessment identifies the need for pilot trials, participatory design and data collection to develop future life cycle analyses and implementation strategies. This integrated approach provides a sound basis for the sustainable development of natural greywater treatment systems that meet the goals of a circular bioeconomy.
Forests for Social and Economic Resilience
This chapter assesses scientific evidence on the interconnections between forests and social‑economic resilience, focusing both on how forests bolster human systems and on the resilience of forests themselves. Strong evidence demonstrates that resilient forests help societies adapt to and mitigate global changes such as land‑use change, biodiversity loss, disaster risk, and climate change—pressures disproportionately driven by economic growth. Using a social‑ecological systems (SES) lens, the chapter highlights how forests respond to cascading stressors through resistance, recovery, or transformation, with resilience reducing uncertainty and safeguarding contributions to human well‑being. Forests provide products, ecosystem services, and cultural values that sustain livelihoods, health, biocultural diversity, and resilience across scales, including clean water, soil conservation, and carbon sequestration. At the global level, resilient forest SES play a critical role in preventing further transgression of planetary boundaries and mitigating impacts of thresholds already crossed. At meso‑scales, forests and forest‑human relationships are shaped by interconnected social and ecological processes, underscoring their importance for sustainable futures and attainment of the SDGs.
Impacts of land use change on ecosystem service degradation within a traditional circular agroecosystem: a case study of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces
Amid ongoing socio–economic development and natural environmental changes, the paddy rice area within the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces has undergone substantial decline, resulting in significant imbalances within the agroecosystem. This study employs land use change mapping and ecosystem service evaluation models to assess the ecological impacts of land use changes on the agricultural system from 1990 to 2020. The findings reveal that the area of paddy rice decreased by a net total of 36.35 km2, representing a 24.83% reduction, with most of this area being converted into forest and cropland. Although forest expansion led to a 16.61% increase in carbon storage, the habitat quality declined overall due to the reduction in paddy rice areas. Specifically, the extent of lower-quality habitat areas expanded by 134.71 km2 (30.02%), while soil retention and water yield ecosystem services decreased by 14.43% and 11.74%, respectively. Areas exhibiting extremely high sensitivity to habitat degradation (32.71%), and geological hazards (38.82%) increased markedly, thereby posing substantial risks to the resilience of the terrace system. Conversely, the total area sensitive to soil erosion declined by 48.84%. These results demonstrate that land use change has adversely affected the traditional agroecosystem services of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. The study further proposes pathways for the optimization and conservation of traditional agroecosystem functions.
Advancing multifunctional agroforestry in Ethiopia: Evidence, innovation and policy pathways
Key messages
- The MAF4E project is pioneering Living Labs that generate real-world evidence while fostering community innovation and enterprise development.
- RRCs produce quality planting material and create green jobs for women and youth.
- Homestead agroforestry enhances inclusion, nutrition, biodiversity, and resilience.
- Scaling impact requires a National Agroforestry Strategy, long-term financing, PES mechanisms, and expansion into urban areas.