Biochar: Negative Emission Technologies are nice to the environment (Biochar: NET-2-U)

In this project we want to communicate FWF funded and further biochar research findings to a wider public through a participation model of communication. Making the public aware of nature-based negative emission technologies (NETs), specifically biochar addition to soil as a viable climate change combating strategy. In creating this interest so we want to engage the public in a horizontal dialogue on climate change and inspire attitude and behavioral changes. We want to highlight and publicize the role science plays in ensuring that these potential technologies are risk free and good for humanity, and are grounded in evidence based findings. In a number of large events aimed at urban, rural, wine and (small/allotment) klein gardeners we will present our Kon-Tiki biochar kiln in action; a flaming center piece to inspire fire-side discussion. We will underpin this crowd pulling strategy with an interactive semi-permanent exhibition about biochar and NETs, in Austria and beyond. Moreover at each event we will encourage the public to participate in our pot-scale Citizen Science endeavor; collaboratively investigating the benefits of using biochar to increase drought resilience using state of the art stable isotope techniques. At a number of specific events we will also present the opportunity to provide feed-stock for the biochar production process and to receive back the resultant biochar, for future small-plot, researcher supported experiments. Finally we will collect, collate and discuss and interpret the data bringing together all social actors in a Biochar Day where we want to foster a global outlook by making tangible links to on-going projects in developing countries.

In this project we communicated FWF funded and our other biochar research findings to a wider public through a participation model of communication. We endeavored to make the public aware of nature-based negative emission technologies (NETs), specifically promoting biochar addition to soil as a viable climate change combating strategy. In creating this interest we engaged the public in a horizontal dialogue on climate change and hoped to inspire attitude and behavioral changes. In doing so highlighted and publicized the role science plays in ensuring that these potential technologies are risk free and good for humanity, and are grounded in evidence based findings. In a number of large events aimed at urban, rural, wine and (small/allotment) klein gardeners we presented our Kon-Tiki biochar kiln in action; a flaming center piece to inspire fire-side discussion. We underpinned this crowd pulling strategy, with an interactive semi-permanent exhibition about biochar and NETs, in Austria and beyond. Moreover, at each event we encouraged the public to participate in our pot-scale Citizen Science endeavor; collaboratively investigating the benefits of using biochar to increase drought resilience using state of the art stable isotope techniques. At specific events we offered the opportunity to provide feed-stock for the biochar production process and to receive back the resultant biochar, for future small-plot, researcher supported experiments. Finally, we collected, collated and discussed then interpreted the data; bringing together all social actors in our Biochar Day where we set out to foster a global outlook by making tangible links to on-going projects in developing countries.