A new online Forum on Biochar Research will bring together global expertise to explain how three decades of biochar science are reshaping understanding of soil health, crop productivity and climate action. The event, titled “Review and synthesis of 30 years of biochar research and development,” will be delivered by Prof. Stephen Joseph of The University of New South Wales, Australia , and hosted by Prof. Jianying Shang of China Agricultural University .
The forum will take place on July 14, 2026 , at 8:00 AM BST in London, 3:00 PM CST in Beijing, 9:00 AM CEST in Central Europe, and 10:00 AM EEST in Eastern Europe . The public may join via Zoom Meeting ID: 615 672 5359, Passcode: 123456 .
Biochar, a carbon-rich material made by heating biomass under limited oxygen, has attracted growing attention as a tool for improving soils while storing carbon. The lecture will synthesize evidence from 30 years of research on how biochar interacts with soil and plants, from early dissolution over the first weeks, to surface development over several months, to long-term aging in soil aggregates.
“ Biochar is not a single product with one fixed effect. Its benefits depend on how it is made, where it is used and which soil constraints it is designed to address, ” Prof. Joseph said. “ When used wisely, biochar can support more resilient agriculture, long-term carbon storage and a circular bioeconomy. ”
According to the review, biochar can increase phosphorus availability, reduce plant uptake of heavy metals, build soil organic carbon, lower non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions and improve crop yields , especially in acidic, nutrient-poor or sandy dryland soils.
The forum will offer researchers, students, farmers, policymakers and environmental professionals a clear overview of where biochar science has been, what it has learned and how tailored biochar applications may support food security and climate mitigation.
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About Biochar
Biochar (e-ISSN: 2524-7867) is the first journal dedicated exclusively to biochar research, spanning agronomy, environmental science, and materials science. It publishes original studies on biochar production, processing, and applications—such as bioenergy, environmental remediation, soil enhancement, climate mitigation, water treatment, and sustainability analysis. The journal serves as an innovative and professional platform for global researchers to share advances in this rapidly expanding field.
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About Carbon Research
The journal Carbon Research is an international multidisciplinary platform for communicating advances in fundamental and applied research on natural and engineered carbonaceous materials that are associated with ecological and environmental functions, energy generation, and global change. It is a fully Open Access (OA) journal and the Article Publishing Charges (APC) are waived until Dec 31, 2025. It is dedicated to serving as an innovative, efficient and professional platform for researchers in the field of carbon functions around the world to deliver findings from this rapidly expanding field of science. The journal is currently indexed by Scopus and Ei Compendex, and as of June 2025, the dynamic CiteScore value is 15.4.