Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides the wide-ranging account of the science and technology of biochar in Europe. Pure biochar applications in good agricultural soils are known to have limited effectiveness under most conditions. Where agriculture and forestry departments have survived in universities, they are typically focused on the pure' more theoretical topics and domains. The carbon and nitrogen which is accessible to microorganisms within biochar also has important impacts for soil microbiology and agronomy. The internationally accredited carbon market was established through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has emerged as a key tool in environmental management. Private sector organisations have a stronger track record of technology development and scale-up this being a core skill and strength of design, engineering and technology-based firms.