Protecting peat lands can help attain climate goals

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  Protecting peat lands can help attain climate goals

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Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

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1. Peatlands, which play an crucial role in regulating global climate by acting as carbon sinks, are facing degradation and need to be urgently monitored. Peatlands cover only three per cent of Earth’s surface but their degradation due to drainage, fire, agricultural use and forestry can trigger release of the stored carbon in a few decades. Peatlands contain 30 per cent of the world’s soil carbon. When drained, these emit greenhouse gases, contributing up to one gigaton of emissions per year through oxidation.
2. Mapping peatlands - Peatlands are formed due to the accumulation of partially decomposed plant remains over thousands of years under conditions of water-logging. To prevent their further degradation, these areas should be urgently mapped and monitored. For countries keen on reducing emissions, monitoring the ground water level of peatlands is vital, or else they can turn into carbon emission sources.
3. Mapping methodologies include both ground and remotely-sensed input data. The report also offered an overview of the different monitoring approaches and their advantages and limitations. The monitoring exercise requires a mix of satellite and ground-based exercises. To facilitate countries’ access to a cloud computing-based and free monitoring platform as well as high-quality imagery, FAO has developed two state-of-the-art peatland restoration monitoring modules.
4. Restoration measures - Indonesia, which has 40 per cent of all tropical peatlands, has taken corrective measures to alter drainage and deforestation since the 1980s. Their government created the Peat Ecosystem Restoration Information System (PRIMS), an online platform that provides information on the condition of peatlands and restoration efforts undertaken. Restoration work of highland peatlands was also conducted in the Hindukush Himalayan (HKH) region. This was done to ensure water security for cities in their watersheds. In general, it can be said it is essential to conserve highland peatlands in particular, Nuutinen observed.
5. Other benefits - Peatlands occur in different climate zones. While in tropical climate, they can occur in mangroves, in Arctic regions, peatlands are dominated by mosses. Some mangrove species are known to develop peatland soils under them. Besides climate mitigation, peatlands are important for archaeology, as they maintain pollen, seeds and human remains for a long time in their acidic and water-logged conditions. In many countries, pristine peatlands are important for recreation activities. These areas also support livelihood in the form of pastoralism.

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

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