The Global Peatlands Initiative: Assessing, Measuring and Preserving Peat Carbon

Although peatlands cover only three percent of the global landmass, it stores almost 30 percent of soil-sequestered carbon—roughly double the amount stored by forests worldwide. Yet, they are increasingly threatened by exploitation. The Global Peatlands Initiative aims to analyse the state of peatlands worldwide and the role they play in the global carbon cycle. The project will improve and support access to the current body of knowledge while creating a hotspot atlas and a platform on peatland degradation. In this way, the Global Peatlands Initiative will build stakeholder capacity in terms of resources and know-how, so as to improve the conservation and sustainable use of peatlands. Gaps will be identified in global and national strategies, and project partners will develop strategies and approaches to counter peatland losses more effectively. The project also facilitates networking among researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders. All members of the initiative have committed to local knowledge transfer and capacity building.