Lost in action: Climate friendly use of European peatlands needs coherence and incentive-based policies

Chen, Cheng; Loft, Lasse; Matzdorf, Bettina

doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2023.04.010

Cited by 16 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…While being proven successful for dealing with land cover nomenclatures [8], it has certain limitations to describe phenomena where the ecological aspects and environment conditions are determining. The complex nature of peatlands and the challenge of their conceptualization [9] in an unambiguous and standardized manner calls for the elaboration of a dedicated and structured vocabulary of keywords and terms, comprising the above-ground biotic substrate, water conditions, and the soil.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enabling Spatial Data Interoperability through the Use of a Semantic Meta-Model—The Peatland Example from the JRC SEPLA Project

Milenov,

Sima,

Lugato

et al. 2024

Land

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Numerous geographic data on peatland exist but definitions vary, and the correspondent classes are often neither harmonized nor interoperable. This hinders the efforts to employ the available national datasets on peatlands and wetlands for policy monitoring and reporting. The existing meta-languages, such as ISO-Land Cover Meta Language (LCML) and EAGLE, offer the possibility to “deconstruct” the relevant nomenclatures in an object-oriented manner, allowing the comparability and interoperable use of related information. The complex nature of peatlands calls for a dedicated and structured vocabulary of keywords and terms, comprising the biotic substrate and the soil. In the SEPLA project, a semantic meta-model has been developed, combining the hierarchical ontology of the LCML with the matrix structure of the EAGLE model. The necessary elements were provided to describe peatland bio-physical characteristics, while representing the definitions in a concise and user-friendly manner (semantic passports). The proposed semantic meta-model is innovative as it enables the documentation of the spatial distribution of peatland characteristics, considering also their temporal dimension, their intrinsic relation with land use, and the soil. It has been successfully implemented for the translation of the national peatland nomenclature into common land categories relevant for reporting under LULUCF regulation, as part of the EU Climate Law.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enabling Spatial Data Interoperability through the Use of a Semantic Meta-Model—The Peatland Example from the JRC SEPLA Project

Milenov,

Sima,

Lugato

et al. 2024

Land

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“…It is predicted that in northern peatlands, GHG emissions from peatlands might increase in the following years because of global warming [34]. The European Union (EU) is rated as the third greatest carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emitter of degraded peatlands after Russia and Indonesia [31], with annual GHG emissions of roughly 220 million megatons of CO 2 equivalents/year [35,36]. Some of the greatest CO 2 emissions in the EU from degraded peatlands are in Poland, Germany, and Finland [31].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pros and Cons of Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Peatlands: Review of Possibilities

Balode,

Bumbiere,

Sosars

et al. 2024

Applied Sciences

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Peatlands can become valuable resources and greenhouse gas sinks through the use of different management practices. Peatlands provide carbon sequestration; however, they are also among the greatest greenhouse gas emissions sources. The estimated annual carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from peat worldwide are 220 million tons. Novel strategies, methods, and technologies must be developed to enhance the sustainable use of peatlands and achieve climate targets by 2050, as set forth by the European Commission. There is no consensus in the scientific literature on which strategies included in the policy documents are more fruitful for reducing emissions. There are uncertainties and knowledge gaps in the literature that summarise the cons and benefits of each strategy regarding the potential of GHG emission reduction. Currently, peat is undervalued as a resource in the bioeconomy and innovation—a way that could save costs in peatland management. This review paper aims to analyse existing and potential strategies to minimise greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands. Studies show significant debates in the literature on whether the rewetting of peatlands and afforestation of previously drained peatlands can be defined as restoration. A more effective management of peatland restoration should involve combining restoration methods. The rewetting of peatlands should be realised in combination with top-soil removal to minimise methane emissions. The rewetting of peatlands should be used only in combination with revegetation after rewetting. One of the promising solutions for methane emission reduction could be paludiculture using sphagnum species. Products from paludiculture biomass can reduce GHG emissions and store long-term emissions in products. Paludiculture can also be the solution for further income for landowners and innovative products using the biomass of harvested paludiculture plants.

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“…A recent study has suggested that there is a lack of coherence in the EU policies related to peatlands from a multi-sectoral (water, agriculture, forestry, natural conservation) and multi-scale perspective, ranging from national to local levels [14]. However, restoration of peatlands requires a shift in the community paradigm from draining peatland practices, undertaken to produce more agricultural land in the past, to rewetting such areas for biodiversity protection and carbon storage areas in the present.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Climate Protection through Peatland Rewetting: A Future for the Rathsbruch Peatland in Germany

Schneider,

Fauk,

Mihai

et al. 2024

Land

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Draining peatlands to create agricultural land has been the norm in Europe, but in the context of climate change and the loss of biodiversity, these rich ecosystems may reactivate their functions as greenhouse gas sinks and retreat spaces for animals and plants. Against this background, the National Moor Rewetting Strategy was put into effect in Germany in 2023, together with the Natural Climate Protection Action Plan. This article examines the methodology of peatland rewetting from scientific, administrative, social, and technical perspectives. The article focuses on an example of moor rewetting in central Germany: the Rathsbruch moor near the municipality of Zerbst, Saxony-Anhalt. To illustrate the importance of rewetting projects for degraded peatlands, five scenarios with different target soil water levels were considered, and the associated greenhouse gas emissions were calculated for a period of five years. For the planning solution, an estimate of the medium-to-long-term development of the habitat types was made based on current use and the dynamics typical of the habitat. The results for the Rathsbruch moor area showed that increasing the water level in steps of 1, 0.8, or 0.5 m has no significant influence on reducing the CO2 emissions situation, while a depth of 0.3 m has a slight influence. When the water was raised to 0.1 m below the surface (Scenario 5), a significant CO2 reduction was observed. The calculated avoided CO2 costs due to environmental damage show that the environmental benefits multiply with every decimeter of water level increase. The rising groundwater levels and extensification favor the establishment of local biotopes. This means that two of the biggest man-made problems (extinction of species and climate change) can be reduced. Therefore, this research is applicable to the development and planning of recultivation work at municipal and regional levels in Germany and beyond within the framework of EU restoration policy.

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Lost in action: Climate friendly use of European peatlands needs coherence and incentive-based policies

Cited by 16 publications

References 34 publications

Enabling Spatial Data Interoperability through the Use of a Semantic Meta-Model—The Peatland Example from the JRC SEPLA Project

Enabling Spatial Data Interoperability through the Use of a Semantic Meta-Model—The Peatland Example from the JRC SEPLA Project

Pros and Cons of Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Peatlands: Review of Possibilities

Natural Climate Protection through Peatland Rewetting: A Future for the Rathsbruch Peatland in Germany

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