Losing out in Land-Based Greenhouse Gas Removal - A critical justice perspective on biochar

[Geoengineering News]

https://exchanges.warwick.ac.uk/index.php/exchanges/article/view/1892

Authors: Catherine Price

20 May 2026

Abstract

Biochar is an emergent technology that is currently being investigated for its greenhouse gas removal potential at scale. This provides an ideal opportunity to investigate the potential injustices that may arise with biochar production and deployment so that these can be addressed. We draw from original data collected in 2022—consisting of 37 semi-structured interviews with mostly UK-based stakeholders who have an interest or potential interest in biochar—supplemented with a document analysis. The paper uses the ‘multioptic vision’ model of who, what, and how to explore the potential injustices of biochar production and deployment. A relatively small number of potential distributive injustices, with slightly more multispecies injustices, were identified. Procedural, recognition, and cosmopolitan injustices may be associated with biochar production and deployment, but these were not identified by our stakeholders or by the organisations in the document analysis.

Source: OJS