Peatlands

By Jaime Webbe, originally posted on UN-REDD Peatlands are found all over the world, come in many forms, display many different characteristics and are used in many different ways. Within the tropics most peatlands are forested, including large tracts in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Central Africa. However peatlands have recently come under increased threats including […]

By Tim Christophersen, originally posted at the UN-REDD Programme The lack of knowledge on peatlands must be addressed urgently. An often neglected ecosystem, and significant contributor to climate change, is peat. When it burns or dries up huge amounts of CO2 are released. The UK Met Office says carbon dioxide levels have seen a surge in recent months as […]

Originally posted at the UN-REDD Programme Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo announced the other week a landmark moratorium banning all peat-damaging activities. At the Climate COP in Marrakech a new UN Environment-led global initiative, the Global Peatlands Initiative, was launched. Why that sudden focus on protecting peatlands, an ecosystem so far not on the radar of […]

Originally posted at FAO – also available in Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, and Indonesian.

Nazir Foead, Head of Indonesia’s Peatland Restoration Agency, speaks on the sidelines of the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), held on 16 November 2016 in Marrakesh, Morocco. Now in its sixth installment, the Forum is undergoing a transformation, from focusing on policy advice to implementing action on the ground and tracking progress toward new climate and […]

By Tim Christophersen, UNEP An often neglected ecosystem, and significant contributor to climate change, is peat. When it burns or dries up huge amounts of CO2 are released. The UK Met Office says carbon dioxide levels have seen a surge in recent months as a result of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which has warmed […]