About Us
What People Are Saying About IBI
Erik van Lennep, CEO and Creative Director, TEPUI, and an organizer who worked to launch the original rainforest action movement in North America:
“Driven by a passionate, experienced and informed community, the IBI is doing essential work to pull together the various sectors of research, advocacy, policy and education needed to bring biochar forward as a global response to climate change and soils recovery. I agree with their ethical stance: the IBI will only support biochar projects that do not result in land use change, either direct or indirect, and which do not impinge on land rights or otherwise negatively impact local Indigenous communities.”
Camilo Urbina, Project Manager, ASITEC, Ltd., Arica, Chile:
“El apoyo de IBI ha sido fundamental para que los resultados de nuestro proyecto sean comparables a nivel internacional y puedan servir para el avance de una mejor comprensión del rol que puede tener el Biochar en los climas áridos.”
Josiah Shelton Hunt, member, Biochar Hawaii:
“I trust the International Biochar Initiative. I trust the IBI for up to date information, for sound advice, as a resource for networking with other biochar folks, and most of all as a wise and progressive force in a global biochar realization. My recent successes with biochar are greatly due to the amazing crew of the International Biochar Initiative.”
Phil Covell, business analyst for Forest Trends Katoomba Group:
“IBI brings together the world’s leaders in biochar research, advocacy, and technology for project implementation. IBI’s support for our feasibility and pilot project in Costa Rica has been extraordinarily helpful.”
IBI Mission
The mission of the IBI is to promote the development of biochar systems that follow Cradle to Grave sustainability guidelines.
In pursuit of this we shall:
- Support the generation, review and dissemination of information on all aspects of biochar
- Develop sustainability guidelines and monitor and evaluate biochar projects and systems against these guidelines
Sustainable biochar is one of the few technologies that is relatively inexpensive, widely applicable, and quickly scalable. IBI focuses on the need for quality and sustainability standards and assurances in the emerging biochar industry. IBI encourages and seeks to foster good industry practices to ensure public confidence that the organizations involved in biochar research, marketing, and production adhere to high ethical standards and the products they produce are safe and appropriate for use as intended. To this end, IBI is bringing together stakeholders in working groups to produce sustainability standards and classification and evaluation systems for biochar production and use.
IBI History
The International Biochar Initiative (IBI) was formed in July 2006 at a side meeting held at the World Soil Science Congress (WSSC) in Philadelphia, PA. At the 2006 meeting, individuals and representatives from academic institutions, commercial ventures, investment bankers, non-governmental organizations, federal agency representatives, and the policy arena from around the world acknowledged a common interest in promoting the research, development, demonstration, deployment (RDD&D) and commercialization of the promising technology of biochar production.
The first international biochar conference was organized and held in New South Wales, Australia, in April/May 2007, and attracted the participation of 107 attendees from 13 countries, representing a spectrum of backgrounds. By unanimous consent at the 2007 Conference, the International Biochar Initiative was established as a non-profit 501(c)3 in the US.**
In 2008, the second international conference, "Biochar, Sustainability and Security in a Changing Climate" was held at the Newcastle Civic Center in Newcastle, United Kingdom. The conference had over 225 attendees from 31 different countries with over 70 presentations.
More information about the IBI board, advisory committee, and staff.
**The 2007 conference was held under the name International Agrichar Initiative (IAI). A unanimous decision to change the organization's name was made at this conference, and a subsequent poll resulted in the new name, International Biochar Initiative (IBI).