| Newsletter

Turning Knowledge Into Action

IBI launched its 2025 education program in February, tackling real-world obstacles to scaling the production and use of biochar.

While IBI’s programs take place in diverse formats and regions, and serve a wide range of professionals and audiences, their focus remains the same: turning knowledge into action to make biochar a mainstream solution for environmental sustainability.

At IBI, we believe that knowledge-sharing and capacity-building are powerful drivers of biochar adoption. All of our offerings — whether online, academic, hands-on, or field-based — engage key actors who play critical roles in the biochar ecosystem.

On February 12, we kicked off with the Biochar Virtual Graduate Lecture Series, a dynamic collaboration with Washington State University. More than 30 professors from over 20 universities and organizations are leading 15 online sessions that dive deep into the science, practice, and potential of biochar. The series will run through September and is already forging new connections between researchers, students, and practitioners.

From February 24 to March 2, we hosted the 2025 Biochar Academy in Thailand in close collaboration with our local partners at ECHO Asia. The program brought together more than 35 participants from around the world. Through a mix of classroom learning and hands-on training, participants tackled common challenges to biochar adoption, with topics ranging from artisanal production to water filtration.

As an alumnus of the very first Biochar Academy, held back in the summer of 2023, I can tell you firsthand why this program matters. Beyond the wealth of knowledge shared, the Academy fosters lasting personal and professional connections. Like the polyaromatic chains in biochar, these relationships can become carbon-strong: resilient over time, grounded in purpose, and built to endure. The 2025 Academy was no exception, catalyzing friendships and networks that will outlast the course itself. 

On March 13, IBI launched the Practical Webinar Series, designed to transform abstract concepts into actionable tools, especially for projects aiming to generate high-quality carbon credits.

And that’s just the beginning. Here’s a preview of what’s ahead in IBI’s education program this year:

  • Global Biochar Exchange in Japan (April), in partnership with Towing Co. Ltd. 
  • Biochar Academies in Kenya (June), Pakistan (September), India (October), and Colombia (date TBD)
  • Practical Webinars on MRV and Auditing (April), the Biochar Certification Process (May), and investment factors for biochar projects (May)
  • Study Tours in Washington State and Wales (August)

Achieving our goals requires more than technical expertise. It demands the active engagement of diverse stakeholders. At the core of IBI’s education program is our mission: to scale biochar production and foster a robust global market that drives adoption across sectors including agriculture, soil regeneration, cement and concrete, municipal wastewater filtration, animal feed, and bio-plastics.

To unlock biochar’s full potential, IBI is committed to ensuring that the knowledge we generate doesn’t just inform: it also empowers. We aim to spark the relationships, tools, and actions needed to bring biochar into the economic and environmental mainstream.

I warmly invite you to explore and join our education programs whether you’re a student, researcher, practitioner, or policymaker. There’s a place for you in this growing global community.

Warm regards, 

Luisa Marin
Executive Director