Farming and biochar in the EU and the road to sustainability: Drawing connections through the Common Agricultural Policy and the regulation of organic and carbon farming

Abstract

Considering the significant impact of agriculture on the environment, there is corresponding potential residing in proper management of agricultural soils and in farming. Agricultural systems are instrumental to achieving climate and environmental goals and for paving the road towards sustainability. However, this requires a transition from business-as-usual agriculture and farming, which must be supported by policy and legislation through systemic and coordinated measures. Other more pointed measures, such as the targeted use of certain technologies, for example, the proper use of biochar, can also be leveraged. But what is the state of play in the pursuit of sustainability in farming in the EU legislation and policy? How significant are these developments for biochar in the transition towards sustainability? This article considers these issues in relation to three different yet connected policy and legislative fields in the broader agriculture domain: the Common Agricultural Policy, organic farming and the emerging domain of carbon farming.