Contesting land-based greenhouse gas removal futures: Emerging sociotechnical visions of biochar in UK agriculture

Abstract This paper critically examines the emerging sociotechnical visions of biochar within UK agriculture, focusing on its potential role in greenhouse gas removal (GGR) and the broader net zero agenda. Agriculture is framed as both a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and a unique sector capable of acting as a carbon sink, positioning it at the heart of debates about climate change mitigation. The paper adopts a sociotechnical visions framework to illuminate how stakeholders align with, contest, and propose alternatives to the dominant net zero sociotechnical imaginary. We identify two overarching sociotechnical visions of biochar in UK agriculture. The first is a sociotechnical vision of greenhouse gas removal through biochar produced at scale and applied to agricultural land, detailing both farmer alignment with and contestation of this approach. The second is a sociotechnical vision of biochar for multiple on-farm benefits, including farm business benefits, enhanced agricultural production and improved on-farm biodiversity. The analysis shows that the future of biochar in UK agriculture is characterised by diversity and contestation, requiring governance frameworks that accommodate multiple, sometimes competing, sociotechnical visions. This pluralism offers opportunities for more just, inclusive, achievable, and transformative pathways for biochar in UK agriculture. Additionally, the paper contributes to the literature on sociotechnical imaginaries and sociotechnical visions by foregrounding the dynamic interplay and negotiation between top-down institutional imaginaries—such as net zero—and emergent, grassroots visions developed by farmers and other agricultural stakeholders.