PEATLANDS - ENVIRONMENT

PEATLANDS - ENVIRONMENT

NEWS: A recent study has cautioned that peatlands, crucial carbon reservoirs, are severely underprotected, and their ongoing destruction could jeopardise climate change goals.

 

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

Peatlands: Unique Wetland Ecosystems

Definition and Characteristics:

  • Peatlands are a distinct type of wetland ecosystem where organic matter accumulates over thousands of years.
  • They are characterized by waterlogged conditions that slow down plant material decomposition, leading to the formation of peat—a dense, carbon-rich substance.

 

Peat Formation Process:

  • Waterlogged conditions in peatlands inhibit the normal decomposition of plant matter.
  • Slow decay results in the gradual buildup of peat, which stores large amounts of carbon.

 

Peatlands in Cool Climates:

  • Dominated by vegetation such as Sphagnum mosses, sedges, and various shrubs.
  • Sphagnum moss is especially effective in retaining water and regulating pH levels, further slowing decomposition.
  • These conditions promote the accumulation of organic matter, essential for peat formation.

 

Peatlands in Warmer Climates:

  • Vegetation shifts to graminoids (grass-like plants) and woody vegetation.
  • The plant composition in tropical and subtropical peatlands differs due to varying environmental conditions.
  • These plants still contribute significantly to organic matter buildup, albeit under different climatic influences.

 

Global Distribution of Peatlands

Peatlands are present in every climatic zone and on every continent, making them one of the most widely distributed ecosystems on Earth. Despite their widespread occurrence, they collectively cover only about 4.23 million square kilometers, which represents 2.84% of the Earth's total terrestrial surface. This relatively small global coverage highlights their rarity and ecological importance.

Certain countries hold the largest portions of the world’s peatlands. These include:

  • Canada
  • Russia
  • Indonesia
  • United States
  • Brazil
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • China
  • Peru
  • Finland
  • Republic of the Congo

Among these, the first five—Canada, Russia, Indonesia, the United States, and Brazil—together contain approximately 70% of the world’s total peatlands. This means that a significant proportion of peatland ecosystems are concentrated in just a few countries, making their conservation efforts critical for global climate and biodiversity protection.

 

Peatlands as Global Carbon Reservoirs

Peatlands store an estimated 600 billion tonnes of carbon, making them one of the largest natural carbon sinks on Earth. This is a greater amount of carbon than is stored in all the world’s forest biomass combined, despite forests covering a much larger land area. The reason peatlands are so effective at carbon storage is that their waterlogged conditions limit the decomposition of organic material, allowing carbon to remain trapped in the form of peat for thousands of years.

Despite their crucial role in regulating the global carbon cycle, peatlands remain underprotected, with only 17% of peatlands worldwide currently safeguarded under conservation measures. Protection levels vary based on climatic zones:

  • Only 11% of boreal (cold-region) peatlands are under protection.
  • 27% of temperate and tropical peatlands have some level of legal conservation status.

This disparity in protection levels suggests that boreal peatlands, which are crucial for long-term carbon storage, are particularly vulnerable to degradation and require stronger conservation efforts.

 

Threats to Peatland Ecosystems

  1. Agriculture and Forestry

·         Large-scale commercial agriculture often involves draining peatlands to make the land suitable for crops and livestock.

·         Logging operations target peatland forests, removing trees that contribute to peat formation and exposing the soil to degradation.

·         Both these activities disrupt the water balance, leading to the oxidation of peat and the release of stored carbon into the atmosphere.

  1. Mining and Infrastructure Development

·         Peat extraction is carried out for fuel, soil conditioning, and horticultural purposes, directly removing the accumulated peat layers.

·         Infrastructure projects, such as roads and urban expansion, often encroach upon peatlands, leading to irreversible ecosystem destruction.

  1. Climate Change

·         Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns affect peatland water levels, accelerating their degradation.

·         Increased frequency of wildfires in peatland areas leads to significant carbon emissions and habitat loss.

 

Conservation Efforts for Peatlands

  1. Role of Indigenous Communities

·         Indigenous territories cover approximately 27% of the world’s peatlands, making indigenous stewardship crucial for conservation.

·         Many indigenous communities practice traditional land management techniques that help maintain the ecological balance of peatlands.

·         Recognizing and legally supporting indigenous conservation efforts can enhance long-term protection of these ecosystems.

  1. International Conservation Agreements

·         The Brazzaville Declaration on Peatlands was signed in 2018 in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

·         It aims to protect and sustainably manage the Congo Basin peatlands, which contain the world’s largest tropical peatland complex.

  1. Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI)

·         Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this initiative brings together governments, researchers, and conservation organizations to protect and restore peatlands globally.

  1. Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

·         Ramsar sites, designated under an international treaty, cover about 20% of the world’s protected peatlands.

·         In the tropics, Ramsar sites account for nearly 40% of protected peatlands, showing the significance of international legal frameworks in conservation.

 

Way Forward for Peatland Protection

  1. Strengthening Legal Protections

·         Countries must incorporate peatland conservation into domestic environmental laws to prevent unsustainable land use.

·         Existing protected areas, especially Ramsar-designated sites, should receive stronger enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance.

  1. Integration into Global Climate and Biodiversity Goals

·         Peatland conservation should be included in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement to combat climate change.

·         Countries should also align their peatland protection measures with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to preserve ecosystems.

  1. Supporting Indigenous Stewardship

·         Governments and conservation organizations should recognize and fund indigenous-led conservation initiatives.

·         Empowering indigenous groups can improve sustainable management practices and long-term ecosystem stability.

Peatlands are among the most important carbon reservoirs on Earth, playing a critical role in climate stability by storing vast amounts of carbon. However, despite their ecological and climate significance, they remain highly vulnerable to human-induced threats such as agriculture, logging, mining, and climate change.

To protect and restore peatlands, countries must strengthen legal frameworks, integrate peatland conservation into global climate policies, and support indigenous-led stewardship. Without urgent action, the continued degradation of peatlands will exacerbate carbon emissions, biodiversity loss, and climate instability, making their preservation a global priority.

 

Source:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/peatlands-hold-more-carbon-than-all-the-worlds-forests-yet-are-dangerously-underprotected