European Union: defending diversity Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Europe is rich in peat landscapes, which differ widely according to the region and climate. But one thing that the European Union’s programmes to protect peatlands have in common is that they are not very effective. By André Prescher and Christian Rehmer
Supply chains: the consequences of consumption Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 The consumption and production of commodities such as timber are major drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. They also cause peatland degradation on a grand scale. By Lea Appulo and Thomas Westhoff
Rewetting: fill it up to the top Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Drainage pipes and ditches are still being used to drain peatlands. Rewetting is urgently needed to protect both the climate and biodiversity. But how does this work – and what do we have to consider? By Jutta Walter and Mathias Büttner
Forestry: peat, wind & fire Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Three percent of the world’s peatlands have been destroyed for forestry purposes, releasing large quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Drained peat soils are the scene of devastating fires that are used to clear land. By Harri Vasander
Livestock: the cows that eat peat Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Our consumption of livestock products has an effect on the climate – through the emission of greenhouse gases and the conversion of natural landscapes into agricultural land. Even more greenhouse gases escape into the atmosphere when peatlands are drained to allow livestock-keeping or to grow fodder crops. By Dr. Sabine Wichmann
Peat: peatlands' raw materials Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Peat consists of dead organic matter accumulated over thousands of years. Since centuries, peat soils have been exploited to obtain fuel or raw material for growing media. Peat extraction and use is harmful to the environment. Sustainable alternatives will only prevail if politicians act. By Greta Gaudig and Olivier Hirschler
Environmental history: fallacies of improvement Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Humans have drained peatlands for centuries to provide land for farming and settlement. History may help us recognize the fallacies of supposed improvement, remember the presence of destroyed and often invisible peatlands in our landscapes, and advocate for the protection and restoration of peatlands. By Dr. Katja Bruisch
Biodiversity: safe havens for ecosystem in danger Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Peatlands all over the world sustain a rich range of habitats and species, including a wide range of threatened and endemic ones. Policymakers are called upon to protect these unique landscapes. By Tatiana Minayeva
Climate crisis: drained peatland results in heated planet Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Because they take up greenhouse gases, peatlands cool the climate – but only as long as they are intact. But these peat-covered areas have been – and still are being – drained for agriculture, forestry, peat extraction and human settlement, exacerbating global warming. By Hans Joosten
Sustainability goals: live-giving moisture Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Peatlands and other types of wetlands foster biodiversity and protect humans and nature from drought and flooding. But they are some of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. Current efforts to conserve them have so far proven inadequate. By Inka Dewitz and Dianna Kopansky