Soil erosion poses a significant threat to sustainable land management and environmental stability. This requires effective strategies for soil conservation. Biochar, a carbon-rich substance obtained from the pyrolysis of organic matter has emerged as a sustainable solution for soil erosion in the framework of United Nation’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, there is a lack of knowledge in understanding the diverse applications of biochar in combating soil erosion across various soil types and environmental contexts. This study comprehensively analyses the existing literature to elucidate the multifaceted benefits of biochar, such as soil structure improvement, soil nutrient retention enhancement, and intensity of soil microbial activity. This study highlights the importance of biochar applications in sustainable development practices and emphasizes biochar’s potential contributions in achieving SDGs, particularly those related to environmental conservation and land management. By synthesizing current research findings and case studies, the study reveals that there is a need to stress biochar uses as a feasible and eco-friendly tool in addressing soil erosion challenges due to water and advancing global sustainability. The study provides insights into future research directions and policy implications for effectively integrating biochar into holistic soil management strategies. This may likely pave the way for enhanced global environmental resilience and sustainable development.

The presence of antibiotics and their metabolites such as ciprofloxacin (CIP) in water resources attracted notable attention as a new international health concern. A systematic and review-meta analysis was performed to evaluate the concentration of CIP in the rivers along with the related ecological risk assessment. PubMed, Scopus and Embase databases were screened to retrieve the related articles among 1 January 1983 to 10 July 2018. Fifty-five articles (58 studies of data reports) comprising 1,886 samples from 20 countries were included. Furthermore, the meta-analysis was performed by the aid of a random effects model (REM) to estimate pooled concentration with 95% confidence intervals (CI). According to findings, the concentration of CIP in the river downstream of untreated wastewater was higher than other rivers located downstream of treated wastewater. Also, the meta-analysis of data based on year of study subgroup demonstrated that over time, the concentration of CIP in the rivers was increased. The ecological risk assessment showed that people settled in some regions of South Africa was at a potential (HQ: 1–10 value) adverse ecological risk of CIP in the river. Therefore immediate control plans besides appropriate removal techniques should be approached for complete eradication of antibiotics like CIP.