Seminar by Professor Yong Sik Ok, Korea University

NERI was delighted to co-organise the seminar, “Soil as an Asset: Carbon-Negative Biochar for Climate Resilience and Voluntary Carbon Markets” with NUS Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering on 29 July 2026.

We were honoured to welcome Professor Yong Sik Ok from Korea University, a globally recognised environmental scientist and leading voice in sustainability, climate science, and ESG. During the seminar, Professor Ok shared thought-provoking insights on the growing role of biochar as a carbon-negative technology with the potential to enhance soil resilience, support carbon sequestration, and contribute to credible voluntary carbon markets.

His presentation explored recent advances in monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), dynamic life cycle assessment (dLCA), and large-scale implementation, showing how strong scientific evidence can support effective and trustworthy carbon removal strategies. A key takeaway from the session was the powerful idea that soil should be seen not just as a resource, but as a strategic environmental asset in the global response to climate change.

The seminar prompted rich discussion on how research, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration can accelerate sustainable solutions at the nexus of climate action, soil health, carbon markets, and policy.

We would like to thank Professor Yong Sik Ok for the inspiring seminar, and to Professor Wang Chi-Hwa for chairing the session. We also thank all participants for contributing to an engaging and timely exchange of ideas.