A groundbreaking study published in “Nature Communications” reveals a significant underreporting of carbon emissions from drained peatlands within the European Union, casting a shadow on the bloc’s climate commitments and demanding a reassessment of mitigation strategies. Researchers at the University of Greifswald estimate that EU member states’ drained peatlands release approximately 232 megatons of CO2 equivalent annually-nearly double the figures previously reported under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The discrepancy, equivalent to the annual emissions from the entire European aviation sector, highlights a critical gap in emissions accounting and underscores the urgency of revising current climate action plans. The research team’s “hotspot map” identifies key regions bearing the brunt of these emissions, pinpointing areas where peatland rewetting would yield the most substantial climate benefits.
The Nordsee region (Northwest Germany, the Netherlands and Southeast England), Eastern Germany, the Baltic states and Eastern Poland, alongside Ireland and Northern Ireland, are designated as emission hotspots. Collectively, these areas contribute roughly 40 percent of the EU’s total peatland emissions. The study attributes these high levels to the convergence of extensive drained peatlands and intensive agricultural practices, particularly along the North Sea coast.
Alarmingly, the North Sea region alone, encompassing only about 4% of Europe’s peatland area, is responsible for approximately 20% of the EU’s total peatland emissions. Similarly, Eastern Germany is flagged as a significant contributor, due to the extensive and deep drainage of relatively flat yet expansive peatlands for agricultural purposes.
The findings raise serious questions about the adequacy of current EU climate policies, emphasizing the need for a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to accounting for emissions from natural ecosystems. While the EU has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, the revelation of this substantial underreporting necessitates a significant increase in ambition and a targeted implementation of peatland restoration initiatives, prioritizing the identified hotspots. Critics argue that the continued prioritization of intensive agriculture on drained peatlands represents a profound misalignment with EU climate goals, demanding a reevaluation of land-use practices and a commitment to ecological restoration if the bloc is to achieve its climate targets.
