Peatland protection pays off - Massive conservation and restoration is needed Published: 11 September 2023 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 Published: 11 September 2023 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 Published: 11 September 2023 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 Published: 11 September 2023 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 Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 By Faizal Parish, Serena Lew and Linda Archibald
Latin America and the Caribbean: you cannot protect what you do not know Published: 11 September 2023 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
Europe: small continent, ancient landscapes Published: 11 September 2023 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
North America: ice age legacy Published: 11 September 2023 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
Energy: scorched earth Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 People have been using peat for heat since the Bronze Age. They still do so today in countries like Finland, Belarus and Rwanda. This is not sustainable – but there are new, climate-friendly ideas for how peatlands can help generate heat and power. By Monika Hohlbein
Paludiculture: more from the marsh Published: 11 September 2023 Peatland Atlas 2023 Reeds are used to make thatch for roofs, and grass fibres are used to make furniture: paludiculture combines peatland conservation with agriculture. Strong political support is needed to give this sustainable way of using rewetted peatlands a chance of success. By Anke Nordt and Susanne Abel