International research into all aspects of biochar science and technology has grown rapidly over the last decade or so. This meeting will represent this world wide growth in interest and will cover the entire range of current biochar-related research. Scientific sessions will include biochar production, the chemistry, biology and physics of biochar- soil interactions, agronomic and economic aspects and biochar as a possible mitigator of global climate change. The very long half-life of biochar in soil, of possibly thousands of years, confers obvious advantages, in terms of various soil managements. It also poses a challenge to the scientific community to identify the short- and long-term risks of its incorporation to soil, if any, and how they may be overcome, before it can be widely used commercially.