Biochar Reflections Following COP30 in Brazil
November 2025 | Read the full Global Biochar Industry Update
Upon returning from COP30 in Brazil, I find myself reflecting on the meaning of participating in such a unique event.
I will set aside any considerations regarding the symbolic significance of the Conference of the Parties (COP) being held exactly where the Terra Preta soils were discovered, which first initiated the study of biochar as a soil amendment — a fact of particular importance to the biochar community.
Likewise, I will disregard the outcome of the negotiations, which, as usual, fell a step behind both climatic ambitions and the urgency of the crisis. While the initial ambitions of the “Mutirão package” have been scaled back, a clear kind of roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels has now been introduced, providing a definitive sense of direction.
Instead, I prefer to focus on what the COP has evolved into over the years, and the reason why it is worthwhile being there, today more than ever.
COP Fundamentals
Who are COP participants? COP is fundamentally a diplomatic forum that has significantly expanded over the years to include a vast array of global stakeholders. While the number of registered delegations (now 194) remains high, the scale of participation has surged dramatically since COP1, when only about 5,000 delegates attended. Today, the two-week talks hosted, among others, over 11,000 individuals as Parties representatives, more than 12,000 observers primarily representing NGOs, charities, academic institutions, research bodies, and lobbying groups with specific interests, and nearly 4,000 media representatives.
COP has fundamentally transformed over the last years into the global epicentre of climate action, the vital nexus where stakeholders and policy makers gather, forge connections, collaboratively plan, and achieve radical cross-fertilization, securing a real, undeniable value, in participation itself. The good news is that while a more powerful outcome of the negotiations would certainly speed up the global climate response that we urge, it does not fully reflect the complexity of the situation on the ground.
Rather than waiting for policy documents to reflect change or complaining because they do not, participation is an effective means of influencing policy discussions and catalysing tangible change.
Biochar’s Moment
And participating at COP now means embracing a beautiful chaos! It’s that exhilarating nightmare where you run out of time trying to talk to all the brilliant people and organisations around you. It’s the mission impossible of showcasing your solution, like waving a “biochar” flag in front of thousands of side discussions, panels, and pavilions, all while trying to grow our and CDR communities one fascinating, frantic conversation at a time!
Indeed, the real game-changer was this COP30. Today, the necessity for a paradigm shift is powerfully emerging: it is now widely understood that merely reducing CO2 emissions is no longer enough and we must actively proceed to remove atmospheric CO2 effectively placing all technologies that enable this process at the heart of the climate dialogue. It’s now clear that our societies can only keep on track with climate targets through CDRs.
And biochar is currently the undisputed leader driving the entire sector. By co-hosting a pavilion as a collective home with sister CDR pathways under the unified strength of the CDR30 Coalition, IBI’s profile was raised to centre stage in the climate dialogue.
As this chapter comes to an end, it’s clear that the journey is far from over. I’ll need another two or three pages to do justice to the meaningful human experiences and remarkable interactions that were made possible through this fantastic opportunity. For now, consider this a pause rather than a conclusion.
Lucia Brusegan
Board Chair, International Biochar Initiative