Peatlands…natural ecosystems combating the threat of climate change
Peatlands…natural ecosystems combating the threat of climate change
The Earth is still revealing to us its secrets that have not yet been discovered, and these secrets may be a miracle for human capabilities because he cannot invent anything similar to them despite the tremendous development in technology and artificial intelligence.
The Earth has its own ecosystems that help achieve environmental balance without human intervention, and one of these systems is what is known as “peatlands” or wetlands, which are formed due to the accumulation of plant remains in land flooded with water, and then oxygen decreases; There is a slow and incomplete decomposition of organic materials present in the ground.
Peatlands have been underappreciated for many years, due to a lack of scientific knowledge, reliable data, and cultural perceptions that often viewed them as barren lands that must be drained to become suitable for human use in agriculture, construction, or overgrazing.
The unknown soldier in the battle to combat climate change
Although they constitute only 3% of the Earth’s land area, they store nearly twice the amount of carbon as all the world’s forests, making them “unknown soldiers” in the battle to combat climate change, as they purify water and provide a home for rare species of living organisms.
Due to the lack of scientific knowledge, humans have depleted a large percentage of these lands for some purposes, and when damaged, they release a large amount of carbon, which exacerbates the climate crisis.
Global Peatland Initiative
To preserve these ecosystems, the Global Peatlands Initiative was launched in partnership with the United Nations Environment Program as one of the founding partners, along with more than 60 other organizations to protect these essential ecosystems.
The initiative received funding from the UNEP Nature Conservation Fund and the International Climate Initiative (IKI), which helped launch the Atlas of Global Peatland Hotspots.
The atlas presents the threats facing peatlands and explains how to save these essential ecosystems, representing a paradigm shift in the knowledge of where they are, what threats they are at, and, most importantly, how they can be restored and protected as important carbon reservoirs.
Peatlands are a center of biodiversity
Peatlands are a refuge for some of the world’s rarest species of plants and animals, from the resplendent blue fireflies of the arctic tundra to the orangutans that live in the forests of Borneo, in the peatlands of rainforests, on these ecosystems to provide their habitats and migration paths.
Therefore, excessive human activities in these lands threaten more than 300 species of plants and more than 600 species of animals that are found only in peatlands, putting them in severe danger. The efforts highlight areas where peatlands harbor rare species, making them hotspots of biodiversity that urgently need to be protected.
Peatland fires produce extreme emissions
Although forest fires are a natural phenomenon in ecosystems, the exposure of dried peatlands to fires may lead to the release of more Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) than any other type of fire, which may amount to 10 times more carbon per hectare (one hectare equals ten thousand square metres) compared to regular forest fires, which contributes significantly to climate change. As for wet peatlands, it is possible to be exposed to fires without the stored carbon emissions being released.
More measures to protect peatlands
Statistics indicate that only 19% of peatlands are within protected areas. However, peatlands in protected areas are often subject to degradation due to weak implementation of laws and regulations designed to protect them.
To prevent this, protection plans must be based on the reality of indigenous peoples and local communities, and take into account gender response, in addition to involving a wide range of stakeholders to achieve their effectiveness.
UNEP’s Global Peatland Initiative is developing new national strategies for peatland conservation, partnering with national governments and local researchers to verify satellite data in the field, and developing policy recommendations tailored to the results.
In general, after this discovery and ensuring the extent of its ability to mitigate emissions by absorbing a large amount of carbon, it is necessary for all countries to join hands to achieve comprehensive protection of peatlands to confront climate change and achieve comprehensive sustainable development.
In conclusion, peatlands remain the “unknown soldier” in our battle against climate change, as they are vital carbon stores and a haven for unique biodiversity, and the efforts made through the Global Peatlands Initiative confirm the necessity of countries coming together to protect these essential ecosystems.
In this context,The Earth Guards Foundation affirms its keen interest in these ecosystems and follows them closely, believing in the importance of highlighting these natural solutions and supporting progress towards one goal, which is achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure a sustainable future for our planet.
