What If: Turning Imagination into Action

January 2025 |?Read the full Global Biochar Industry Update

My journey with climate change communications began in 2017, and I haven’t looked back since.??

There’s a science and an art to it, a balance between sharing the real harm and worsening of climate change impacts and highlighting the incredible solutions that encourage us to lean into hope. Hope is a verb, and it lies in the fact that we have all the solutions we need to address climate change — right here, right now. My passion for telling the stories of climate change solutions is rooted in the stories that I loved as a child, taking place in sci-fi and fantasy worlds so unlike the one I know. There is power in that escapism, but even more in building the sense of imagination; allowing myself (and all readers) to ask the question: "what if?"?

As 2025 begins, we find ourselves at a critical juncture in the fight against climate change. The year 2024 was officially declared the hottest on record, crossing the 1.5°C threshold for the first time. As extreme weather impacts happen across the world, it’s a reminder of the urgency of our collective work across all the industries and sectors addressing climate change. And it’s a reminder to stay rooted in that question: “what if?” What if the world operated differently, to value circular systems and sustainability? What if we get it right???

With so much ingenuity and growth happening in the biochar industry alone, IBI is leaning into the solutions you are all bringing to the table: like new biochar plants in development, groundbreaking research on biochar’s multi-faceted applications, and community-building projects to empower local farmers.

This year, IBI is committed to supporting our members and the wider biochar landscape. (I encourage you to check out the new strategic plan, if you haven’t yet, where we communicate our priorities through 2030.) From webinars and trainings to partnerships and certifications, we’re witnessing remarkable momentum across the biochar ecosystem.?

This year, we are also working to ensure biochar has a prominent place on the global stage. As we look toward COP30 in Brazil, IBI, in collaboration with a number of partners, is amplifying efforts to integrate biochar into the international negotiations and climate agendas. Our goal is to make sure policymakers recognize and fully understand biochar's critical role in achieving carbon removal goals and creating resilient systems.

We’re excited about the many ways IBI will support the community in the coming months:

• Webinars: We are planning upcoming virtual events on topics like Biochar Certification, Auditing & MRV, Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), and more.
• Educational Initiatives: Our training sessions across geographic locations and online resources are designed to empower practitioners, researchers, and entrepreneurs to maximize potential with biochar.

We remain inspired by the stories emerging from our members—stories of innovation and determination to create a sustainable future. Are you interested in being featured on IBI’s blog? Get in contact with me at [email protected]. I’d love to learn more about your biochar project that could inspire and educate your fellow colleagues in the industry.

Let’s make 2025 a year of meaningful progress for biochar.?

Warmly,?

Lauren Boritzke Smith , Communications Lead