Erich J Knight

Could Cap and Trade Still Happen?

All the climate studies coming in over the past year show how conservative the warming projection have been. The "tipping points" from ice cap loss to permafrost methane emissions are approaching faster than previously thought.

The externalized cost of CO2 emissions must be priced!

CCS, Carbon Capture & storage scheames are unproven and COSTLY, except the one not talked about directly under our feet.

Soil Carbon Sequestration;
Biochar, the modern version of an ancient Amazonian agricultural practice called Terra Preta (black earth, TP), is gaining widespread credibility as a way to address world hunger, climate change, rural poverty, deforestation, and energy shortages… SIMULTANEOUSLY!
Modern Pyrolysis of biomass is a process for Carbon Negative Bio fuels, massive Carbon sequestration,10X Lower Methane & N2O soil emissions, and 3X Fertility Too.
Every 1 ton of Biomass yields 1/3 ton Charcoal for soil Sequestration, Bio-Gas & Bio-oil fuels, so is a totally virtuous, carbon negative energy cycle.

The capture part is already built and running(Plants & Trees)
The carbon sink part is built and running (Top Soil)
We only need to build out the conversion infrastructure (Pyrolysis Biofuel Reactors)

Biochar viewed as soil Infrastructure; The old saw;
"Feed the Soil Not the Plants" becomes;
"Feed, Cloth and House the Soil, utilities included !".
Free Carbon Condominiums with carboxyl group fats in the pantry and hydroxyl alcohol in the mini bar.
Build it and the Wee-Beasties will come.
As one microbiologist said on the Biochar list; "Microbes like to sit down when they eat".
By setting this table we expand husbandry to whole new orders of life.

This is what I try to get across to Farmers, as to how I feel about the act of returning carbon to the soil. An act of pertinence and thankfulness for the civilization we have created. Farmers are the Soil Sink Bankers, once carbon has a price, they will be laughing all the way to it.

The UN recognizes Soil as a Carbon Sink;
UNCCD Submission to Climate Change/UNFCCC AWG-LCA 5
"Account carbon contained in soils and the importance of biochar (charcoal) in replenishing soil carbon pools, restoring soil fertility and enhancing the sequestration of CO2."
unccd.int/publicin...

This new Congressional Research Service report (by analyst Kelsi Bracmort) is the best short summary I have seen so far - both technical and policy oriented.
assets.opencrs.com/rpt... .

Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.