The creeps and cranks are out in force at Poznan, as expected, but they have unfortunately discovered biochar.

. . . the coalition is hoping to capitalize on the capacity of the continent's ecosystems to store massive amounts of carbon through reduced deforestation, reforestation, low-impact farming methods and restoration of soil carbon through processes like biochar. . .

Largely excluded to date from mechanisms that compensate countries for reducing emissions, the African Climate Solution is calling for "the expansion of eligibility of resources beyond REDD to include the full range of bio-carbon in the climate change negotiations." The group believes that financial incentives for mitigating climate change can simultaneously lift some of the world's poorest out of poverty. . .

The initiative — which calls itself "a REDD-Agriculture, Forestry and Sustainable Land Use (AFOLU) Bio-carbon Coalition" — has developed a framework for the creation of an African Fund that would "provide a sustainable carbon financing mechanism suitable for investments sustainable agriculture and agroforestry projects in Africa."

Carbon will only be sequestered if it pays to do so without subsidies. There must be real world incentives or the carbon will just be released again at some point when one side or another changes its mind. We have already seen that economic needs cause withdrawal from such agreements, and we will see that population pressure will do the same.

This is a scam. Yet another carbon scam. It's a shame to see biochar tainted by involvement with this sort of low politics.

The valid reasons for improved agronomic systems that avoid land tillage, and other methods to improve soil structure including the use of biochar, is that Africa needs to produce more food. That's the pay, the incentive to farm sensibly. More food. This will never result from "a sustainable carbon financing mechanism suitable for investments sustainable agriculture". The money will be embezzled by those who administrate the fund, and the need for food will increase.