The Global Peatlands Initiative is a new UN Environment Programme-led effort to save one of the world’s largest carbon stocks.
Containing up to 100 times more carbon than tropical forests, peatlands have crucial importance in fighting climate change. Although many unknowns remain, some estimates suggest that draining and degrading peatlands is responsible for as much as 5% of global anthropogenic emissions.
The Global Peatlands Initiative aims to increase the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of peatlands in countries with significant peat deposits delivering benefits for agriculture, biodiveristy and the climate. In terms of scale and scope, the initiative goes beyond any recent collaborative efforts on peat.
Among the founding members are: the governments of Indonesia, Peru and the Republic of Congo, UNEP, FAO, IFAD, the EC, Wetlands International, UNEP-WCMC, GRID-Arendal, Ramsar Secretariat, European Space Agency, WRI, Greifswald Mire Centre and SarVision/Sateligence.
