A message from the IBI Chairwoman: celebrating our pioneers and looking to the future

Dear IBI Community,

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the International Biochar Initiative, I find myself looking back with immense gratitude at the extraordinary journey that has brought us here, and, at the same time, looking ahead with great confidence and ambition. It was therefore particularly meaningful to celebrate this milestone together in Zhengzhou, China, during the 2026 IBI Biochar World Congress. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to our Chinese colleagues and to the entire organizing team for an outstanding conference, which brought together more than 500 participants, including a large and truly international community.

A special word of thanks goes to Professor Hailong Wang, IBI Board Member, and to Ms. Yingchun Han of the Biochar Editorial Office at Shenyang Agricultural University, whose dedication and hard work contributed greatly to making this event such a success.

The Congress also provided the perfect occasion to launch the IBI Honors Programme, which I see as one of the most meaningful ways in which we can celebrate our anniversary. Twenty years of IBI have taught us that organizations may not change the world: people do. Visionary scientists, passionate educators, dedicated entrepreneurs, community leaders, volunteers, and countless others have devoted their talent and their lives to advancing biochar. The Honors Programme is our way of recognizing these contributions, celebrating excellence and service, and inspiring the leaders who will shape the next twenty years. It brings together four complementary recognitions: the IBI Board Emeritus designation, the IBI Fellowship, the Johannes Lehmann Medal and Lecture, and the IBI Rising Star Award.

I was especially honoured and delighted to confer the title of IBI Board Emeritus on Professor Stephen Joseph, in recognition of his indefatigable service and passion to IBI and to the entire biochar community. Stephen now joins the four distinguished IBI Board Emeritus already honoured by the Board: Johannes Lehmann, Tom Miles, David Waine, and Kathleen Draper. Together, they represent an extraordinary legacy of vision, leadership, and service to IBI and to the global biochar community. We are deeply grateful that Stephen continues to represent so excellently the values, spirit, and commitment of our organization.

I also had the great privilege of presenting the first IBI Fellowship to Professor Johannes Lehmann: it is difficult to imagine a more fitting person to receive our very first Fellowship. Johannes’ contribution to biochar goes far beyond any single discovery or body of research. His pioneering work fundamentally advanced our understanding of how carbon can be durably sequestered in terrestrial ecosystems, while at the same time improving soil fertility and agricultural productivity. By bringing together carbon science, soil science, agronomy, and climate action, he helped reveal the extraordinary dual potential of biochar: as a means of removing and storing atmospheric carbon and as a tool for healthier and more productive soils.

His scientific leadership also helped change the status of biochar itself. Through rigorous research and sustained collaboration, Johannes contributed to the transformation of biochar from a relatively niche concept into a globally recognized carbon dioxide removal pathway, with its relevance acknowledged by the IPCC and reflected in the growing role of biochar in climate mitigation and carbon markets.

But perhaps what makes Johannes’ contribution particularly remarkable is that his science has never been confined to the lab. He has consistently sought to translate knowledge into practice and policy, connecting researchers, farmers, practitioners, industry, and decision-makers. As a founder and guiding figure of IBI, he helped create an enduring global platform for knowledge-sharing, collaboration, standards, and innovation. His humility, generosity, and moral clarity are as important a part of his legacy as his scientific brilliance.

For me, this is why the first IBI Fellowship is so significant. Johannes has not simply helped us understand biochar; he helped determine its trajectory. His vision helped define what biochar could become, and his continued leadership and scientific insight continue to help define the direction in which our global community is heading.

These first two recognitions are deeply symbolic. They honour two extraordinary individuals who helped build the foundations of our community, while reminding us that our responsibility is now to carry that legacy forward.

As we enter IBI’s next twenty years, our ambition is to help forge its future, together, with integrity, scientific excellence, collaboration, and a shared commitment to a healthier planet. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this remarkable journey. The best chapters of the biochar story are still ahead of us.

With gratitude and warm regards,
Lucia Brusegan