Data released Monday by the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reveal a complex and potentially misleading picture of Germany’s progress towards its ambitious peat reduction targets within the horticulture sector. While the overall volume of peat used in both private gardening and commercial landscaping substrates decreased in 2024, the shift is shadowed by a concerning stabilization in the percentage of peat-containing products, suggesting a potential slowdown in the broader transition to sustainable alternatives.
For hobby gardening products, which constitute the largest segment, a majority (77%) remained peat-containing, a figure virtually unchanged from 2023. However, the average peat content within these products plummeted from 47% to 38%, representing an 18.4% reduction in total peat volume utilized – approximately 1.4 million cubic meters. This suggests a move towards diluting peat with other materials rather than eliminating it altogether.
The commercial landscaping sector presents a similarly nuanced situation. While the volume of peat used also declined, the proportion of substrates containing peat actually “increased” from 80% to 84%, pointing to a reliance on peat despite government initiatives aimed at drastically reducing its use. Furthermore, the peat content within these commercial products decreased from 72% to 63%, contributing to a 5.4% reduction in total peat volume – around 1.4 million cubic meters.
These figures raise critical questions about the effectiveness of current policy and incentive structures. The government’s climate protection plan explicitly mandates a significant reduction in peat usage within the garden and landscape industries. The relatively modest decline in overall peat consumption, coupled with the stabilization and even increase in peat-containing product percentages, indicates a potential lack of robust enforcement and insufficient support for alternative substrate development and adoption.
Critics argue that the industry’s response is driven primarily by cost considerations, as peat remains a relatively inexpensive and readily available material. The data also highlight the need for a more comprehensive approach, including targeted financial assistance to businesses transitioning to peat-free alternatives, stricter regulations on peat extraction and sale and a public awareness campaign promoting the environmental benefits of sustainable gardening practices.
Without a fundamental shift in these dynamics, Germany risks failing to meet its climate goals and perpetuating the significant environmental damage associated with peat extraction, a practice which releases vast amounts of stored carbon and destroys vital bog ecosystems.
