Fact book for UNFCCC policies on peat carbon emissions

This fact book provides insight in the global greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands. It was made to inform delegations at the UN climate change conventions. 

All over the world, precious peatland ecosystems, with a unique nature and beauty are degraded and destroyed. Peatswamp forests in Indonesia are drained and logged; tundra peatlands are affected by global warming and mountain peatlands like in the Himalayas are subject to overgrazing and mining.

Contrary to forests, few people recognize or are even aware of these areas. Even less people know that these areas, that cover only 3% of the land surface of the Earth, contain twice as much carbon as all the world’s forest biomass. Carbon that under normal conditions would remain stored for infinite times and eventually would turn into coal, is now released at an alarming rate, causing around 10% of all global carbon dioxide emissions.

These emissions remain largely unreported. And where reported, they are excluded from the national emission accounts. Wetlands International is dedicated to spread this message about this disaster and advocates that UNFCCC will provide incentives to address the loss of the world’s peatlands. As peatlands are unique ecosystems, addressing the emissions generates unique questions, to which this publication aims to provide answers.

GO for more information to the peat CO₂ pages on our website.