Global Peatlands Assessment: The State of the World’s Peatlands - Evidence for Action toward the Conservation, Restoration, and Sustainable Management of Peatlands

,

doi:10.59117/20.500.11822/41222

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…The global climate crisis changed the perception of peatlandsboth in science and policy. It was recognized that the thick peat layers with concentrated carbon, which formed over thousands of years, constitute the largest organic carbon store of the terrestrial biosphere (UNEP, 2022). Clear scientific evidence became available that drainage turns a long-term carbon sink into an enormous source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Europe is a global hot spot of human impact on peatlands and the second largest emitter of GHG emissions from drained peatlands, after Indonesia (UNEP, 2022). Within the EU, Germany has the highest share of drained peatlands (about 95%) and the highest GHG emissions (UNEP, 2022). In many European countries, agriculture is the major driver for peatland drainage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Unlocking the potential of peatlands and paludiculture to achieve Germany’s climate targets: obstacles and major fields of action

Wichmann,

Nordt

2024

Front. Clim.

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Greenhouse gas emissions from drained peatlands must be substantially reduced to meet climate mitigation targets. In Germany, annual peatland emissions of 53 Mt CO2e account for more than 7% of total national GHG emissions. Peatland drainage and reclamation is traditionally considered as a symbol of progress and technical achievement, where agriculture has been the major driver. In Germany, an area of 1.3 million ha of drained peatlands used for agriculture ought to be rewetted by 2050 to meet the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement. Paludiculture allows a productive use of wet peatlands instead of abandonment following rewetting. This approach might therefore pave the way for voluntary large-scale peatland rewetting. However, implementation remains scarce. The long history and large extent of peatland drainage has shaped the political and legal framework as well as perceptions and attitudes, thus impeding rewetting and climate-friendly peatland use. This policy and practice review investigates the political, legal, economic and social aspects that hinder the implementation in Germany and derives approaches to overcome multifold restrictions. Finally, three major fields of action are identified: (1) To increase and accelerate rewetting, a consistent peatland mainstreaming approach is needed that overcomes structural barriers and adapts the policy and legal framework, e.g., the Common Agricultural Policy, planning law, water law and nature conservation law. (2) To motivate for a rapid transition, a system of immediate, comprehensive and attractive positive incentives is needed. This should be accompanied by early announcement and gradual introduction of negative incentives to set a clear course and provide planning certainty for farmers and landowners. (3) A just transition depends on empowering local communities to develop and pursue perspectives tailored to their peatland region. Future research of peatlands as social-ecological systems can help to identify region-specific drivers for sustainable peatland management.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unlocking the potential of peatlands and paludiculture to achieve Germany’s climate targets: obstacles and major fields of action

Wichmann,

Nordt

2024

Front. Clim.

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Digging into Complexity: The Wicked Problem of Peatland Protection

Meyer‐Jürshof,

Theilen,

Lakner

2024

Advanced Sustainable Systems

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The significance of rewetting peatlands, as a key instrument for peatland protection and response to climate change, is increasingly recognized by both experts and the public. Its widespread implementation however still faces numerous challenges. Characteristics of the issue itself as well as the corresponding policies transform the issue into a wicked problem. Showcasing the lack of clarity in funding structures at the German national and federal‐state levels highlights the linked obstruction of necessary actions, implementation options, and financial resources for peatland protection. This poses challenges to climate protection, adaptation efforts, and the achievement of related Sustainable Development Goals. In Germany, an update of peatland protection policies highlights the structural challenges in coordinating peatland protection efforts and helps identify gaps and opportunities. A mixed methods approach is used to analyze both strategic documents and the results of a survey on associated funding. The results indicate a multi‐level policy structure with several German federal states recognizing the potential and relevance of peatland protection but still facing obstacles regarding the distribution of responsibilities, data availability, and overall structures. Recognizing peatland protection as a wicked problem can highlight research gaps and help in developing individual solutions that can be transferred to an international level.

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Stoichiometric characteristics and factors influencing soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in various types of peatlands: A meta-analysis

Idoko,

Chen,

Xue

2025

CATENA

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Global Peatlands Assessment: The State of the World’s Peatlands - Evidence for Action toward the Conservation, Restoration, and Sustainable Management of Peatlands

Cited by 8 publications

References 549 publications

Unlocking the potential of peatlands and paludiculture to achieve Germany’s climate targets: obstacles and major fields of action

Unlocking the potential of peatlands and paludiculture to achieve Germany’s climate targets: obstacles and major fields of action

Digging into Complexity: The Wicked Problem of Peatland Protection

Stoichiometric characteristics and factors influencing soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in various types of peatlands: A meta-analysis

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