State of the Union address: Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for a second term in office Analysis In her address, European Commission President von der Leyen missed the opportunity to develop bold proposals for the future. This contribution analyses her informal bid for a second term in office by looking at her thematic focuses. By Roderick Kefferpütz, Lisa Sandtner, Anton Möller, Zora Siebert , Melanie Bernhofer and Hannah Goerlich
Peatland Atlas 2023 | Facts and figures about wet climate guardians Atlas The Peatland Atlas 2023 highlights the consequences of the destruction of these unique habitats, but also the potential of wet peatlands for mitigating climate change.
Peatland protection pays off - Massive conservation and restoration is needed Press release With more than two billion tonnes of CO2, the draining of peatlands is responsible for about 4% of all human-made emissions globally. This is outlined in the Peatland Atlas 2023 - Facts and figures on wet climate guardians, published today by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, the Michael Succow Stiftung (partners in the Greifswald Mire Centre) and BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland/Friends of the Earth Germany), with support of the Global Peatlands Initiative. By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Succow Stiftung, BUND für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland and Global Peatlands Initiative
Of mires and myths: not just a crime scene Peatland Atlas 2023 For thousands of years, peatlands have served as the backdrop for horror stories. In gruesome legends and lore, they swallow people and even whole towns, are the home of ghosts, the devil, and many other supernatural spectacles. By Elmar Tannert
Transformation: a feasible opportunity - without alternative Peatland Atlas 2023 Rewetting drained peatlands will be a major challenge for societies all over the globe. Achieving success will take innovativeness, political initiative and a paradigm shift in the global economy. By Dr. Uta Berghöfer, Sabrina Hüpperling and Jan Peters
Africa: guardians of biodiversity and climate stability Peatland Atlas 2023 Some of the world’s most important and most recently recognized peatlands can be found on the African continent. They are home to unique and rare flora and fauna – and threatened by the oil companies’ greed for money. By Irene Wabiwa Betoko, Samer Elshehawi and Inka Dewitz
Southeast Asia: progress for peatlands Peatland Atlas 2023 By Faizal Parish, Serena Lew and Linda Archibald
Latin America and the Caribbean: you cannot protect what you do not know Peatland Atlas 2023 From lowland swamps dominated by tall palms to the treeless cushion bogs of the high Andes, Latin America and the Caribbean are home to a huge range of peatlands. But relatively little is known about them – making conservation difficult. By Mónica Maldonado-Fonken and Cristina Malpica-Piñeros
North America: ice age legacy Peatland Atlas 2023 One-third of the world’s peatlands are in North America. Those landscapes close to urban areas have suffered severe degradation, and urgent repair work is needed to restore them. In the north of the continent, peatlands are increasingly threatened by the oil and mining industries. By Maria Strack, Marissa Davies and Curt Richardson
Europe: small continent, ancient landscapes Peatland Atlas 2023 Few peatlands in Europe are located within protected areas, and even there, they are not always protected adequately. National agricultural policies provide little or no support for the development of sustainable peatland-management practices. By Dr. Franziska Tanneberger and Asbjørn Moen