Peatlands cover 8% of the EU's surface and have a natural potential to store carbon. Unfortunately, many are degraded, releasing carbon rather than storing it. European regions need to act now to prevent further degradation. Katrien Wijns, partner in the Interreg North-West Europe Care-Peat project, will present how seven peatlands were restored, resulting in carbon saving of 9 600t of CO2/year and highlight how the project’s capitalisation approach paves the way for future climate policies.
- Territorial | INTERREG | EU/ European | Climate and environment | Sustainable | Cohesion
- Code: 09TK241046
- Albert Borschette Conference Centre, AB-4C
Speaker
Practical information
- When
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Wed 09/10/2024, 15:30 - 15:45 CET
- Where
- Albert Borschette Conference Centre, AB-4C
- Type of partnership
- Partnership
- Format
- EURegionsTalks / Living Library/Pecha Kucha
- Theme
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Smart and sustainable growth for regions
- Language
- English
Partner
Reporting
Session summary
Peatlands are not only habitats with a highly specialised flora and fauna, they also play an important role in global climate regulation. Northern hemisphere peatlands count for 3 to 5% of total land area and contain approximately 33% of global soil carbon. Therefore peatlands have a strong natural potential to save carbon and play an important role in nature based solutions for climate change.
When peatlands are drained, the well preserved carbon is released as greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. That is why it is important to keep peatlands wet. Unfortunately many peatlands are degraded and emit rather than store carbon. Europe has a high degree of peatland degradation. In Europe, 25% of total peatland is degraded, in EU, it is 50% and in several countries it reaches more than 90%.
The global annual greenhouse gas emissions from drained organic soils are twice that from aviation. We need to act now to prevent further degradation and encourage more recovery of our remaining peatlands.
Quotes
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Cooperation is key to work on a highly relevant theme such as climate change and the protection and restoration of peatlands.
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