Reclimate, Malaysia

The Borneo Biochar project, registered under Soil and Flame Biochar Projects, began in January 2026 in Marak Parak, Sabah, Malaysia. It takes a circular-economy approach, turning local wood waste into a high-value climate asset while addressing local environmental and socio-economic challenges.

Through advanced processing, residues are converted into premium biochar with an exceptional 90% fixed-carbon content, enabling durable sequestration with verified permanence exceeding 1,000 years. Each tonne of the 900+ tCO₂e removed annually contributes to long-term climate stability, in line with high-integrity carbon-removal best practice.

Simple yet impactful

The project's 'Pit-to-Plot' method keeps things simple: local farm waste is turned into carbon-storing biochar right where it is produced, worked directly into the soil using low-tech pyrolysis pits. It uses no fossil fuels, relying only on controlled pyrolysis of on-site biomass, which keeps the model affordable, replicable and community-driven.

The net carbon-removal-to-feedstock ratio is about 1:5, so for every five tonnes of agricultural waste one tonne of stable carbon is sequestered. Each pit locks away an estimated two to three tonnes of CO₂e per batch, depending on feedstock and burn conditions.

Expected soil results within a single cropping cycle:

• 15 to 25% more soil organic carbon
• around 20% better moisture retention
• up to 50% less fertiliser dependency, with improved crop resilience

Impact and benefits

The biochar is applied directly to local soils, often with organic compost, to restore degraded and acidic land, improving soil fertility, water retention and agricultural productivity and strengthening long-term food security across rural Sabah. In doing so it closes the loop between waste management, ecosystem restoration and sustainable agriculture.

The project is built around community empowerment, with 100% local employment drawn from surrounding rural and indigenous communities. By creating accessible green jobs it offers economic opportunities, particularly for young people and indigenous groups, while easing rural-to-urban migration. Local farmers are trained to operate and manage the biochar pits, building technical skills and supporting regenerative farming.

Monitoring and recognition

Operations are continuously monitored through an independent, CSI-accredited digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (dMRV) system that combines on-ground sampling and lab soil testing with remote sensing for biomass and land-use tracking. The project follows the Artisan C-SINK methodology and has been recognised by leading bodies including ICROA, Sylvera and Carbon Standards International. Its sites also serve as field testbeds for biochar in cassava-based farming, adding to Malaysia's growing evidence base for practical carbon removal.

For project documentation, see the entry on the Global Carbon Registry. You can also visit the Reclimate website for more detail.