Peatlands, though covering just 3% of Earth’s land surface, are indispensable allies in the fight against climate change. These unique ecosystems store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined, serving as critical carbon sinks. However, a recent study highlights a concerning reality: a mere 17% of global peatlands are under protection, leaving the majority vulnerable to degradation and turning them into potential carbon emission sources.
The Carbon Storage Powerhouse
Peatlands accumulate carbon over millennia, sequestering vast amounts of organic material. When intact, they effectively lock away this carbon, playing a pivotal role in regulating the global climate. Disturbingly, human activities such as agriculture, mining, and deforestation have led to the destruction of these habitats. If peatlands were a country, their emissions from degradation would rank fourth globally, underscoring the magnitude of the threat.
Protection Disparities
The study reveals significant disparities in peatland protection. While 38% of tropical forests benefit from conservation efforts, only 17% of peatlands receive similar attention. This protection gap is even more pronounced in countries with extensive peatland areas, such as Canada, Russia, and Indonesia. Notably, approximately 25% of peatlands are located on Indigenous lands, which often experience less degradation due to traditional stewardship practices.
A Call to Action
Safeguarding and restoring peatlands emerge as cost-effective strategies for climate mitigation. Implementing measures like reducing drainage for agriculture can prevent these ecosystems from becoming carbon sources. Given their additional roles in water management and biodiversity support, protecting peatlands offers multifaceted environmental benefits. As the global community strives to meet climate targets, prioritizing peatland conservation is imperative to prevent surpassing critical temperature thresholds.
Peatlands are invaluable natural assets in our climate system. Ensuring their protection and restoration is not only an environmental obligation but also a strategic necessity in the global effort to combat climate change.
A link to the study can be found here: https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/conl.13080
This week in Talking Climate (on Linked In), Dr. Katharine Hayhoe writes: “A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, which means heavy rainfall events are increasing around the globe, which in turn can increase the risk of flooding. That’s bad news, obviously.
But the good news is that trees are a strong natural defense against flooding. They help soil absorb water by soaking up rainfall through their roots. The roots also reduce erosion and runoff while leafy canopies slow rain down, reducing flash flood risk.
In the UK, researchers at the University of Plymouth are planting native trees in Dartmoor, in hopes of reviving the area’s ancient woodland pastures and helping with local flood control. They’re planting these native trees using the “tiny forest” Miyawaki Method I’ve written about before here. By planting many different native species closely together, planted trees can rapidly mimic a multi-layered forest ecosystem.
In cities, green roofs don’t just keep buildings cool. They also absorb rainwater and reduce surface runoff. In India, for example, one study found that installing green roofs across an urban area could reduce flood volume between 10 and 60 percent.
Trees already filter the air, keep us cool, provide habitat for species and so much more. Now we know they’re essential to protecting us from floods as well!”