Biochar could be a viable climate solution, study finds

Biochar is thought to be a straightforward, if modest, climate solution made from heating up plant waste without fully burning it. Farmers scorch weeds, husks and other biomass to create biochar, then tuck it into the soil to boost crop yields and lock that carbon out of the atmosphere.

Recent research, however, suggests scientists have been underestimating its potential; Biochar can actually hold onto carbon for millions of years longer than previously believed, making it a much more powerful negative emissions technique than scientists realized.

Here & Now's Deepa Fernandes speaks with Matt Simon, senior staff writer at Grist, to see how the new research might translate into practice.