Peatland Stocks and emissions Faizal Parish Global Environment Centre Andrey Sirin, Russian Academy Of Science Hans Joosten, International Mire Conservation Group Tatiana Minaeva, Wetlands International Marcel Silvius, Wetlands International UNFCCC COP 14 December 2008 Side event 8 th December 2008 Integrated Management of Peatlands for Biodiversity and Climate Change

Presentation Peatlands Peatlands Nature and values of peatlands Nature and values of peatlands Peatland emissions and associated factors Peatland emissions and associated factors Reduction of emissions Reduction of emissions

Info Sources Assessment on Peatlands Biodiversity and Climate Change (GEC and Wetlands International) Assessment on Peatlands Biodiversity and Climate Change (GEC and Wetlands International) Global Database on peatlands (IMCG) Global Database on peatlands (IMCG)

Peatlands are wetlands where : a) waterlogging delays decay a) waterlogging delays decay ; b) dead plants form peat Colchis,Georgia What are peatlands What are peatlands

Lesotho Peat accumulates for thousands of years storing concentrated Carbon in thick layers peat from 2 m deep

Covering 4 million km 2, primarily in the boreal, subarctic and tropical zones, peatlands are found in almost every country. Peatlands are everywhere…

… from the tundra … Yakutia, RF

… to the tropics and … Borneo

… from the mountains … Kyrgystan

Over permafrost NWT, Canada

Under grasslands … Sichuan, China

… along the rivers … Kyrgystan Ruaha River Tanzania

Archangelsk, RF … to the sea …

Peatlands are water Flow Country, Scotland

Peatlands regulate climate Pechora, RF

Peatland has high Biodiversity

Photo: Erkki Oksanen Peatlands have high ecosystem diversity Finland

Many indigenous cultures and local communities depend on peatlands.

People in Peat swamp Forest in Pahang Peatlands Feed communities Fishing, Pahang, Malaysia Source: UNDP-GEF PSF Project

Peatlands support communities Jelutong - Chewing Gum tree, Indonesia

Peatlands are the most space-effective carbon (C) stocks of all terrestrial ecosystems. Kyrgystan Peatlands and carbon

While covering only 3% of the World’s land area, peatlands contain 550 Billion tonnes of carbon in their peat.

This is equivalent to twice the carbon stock in the forest biomass of the world.

This makes peatlands the top long-term carbon stock in the terrestrial biosphere. Ruoergai China

Peatland drainage and fires are one of the main sources of carbon released to the atmosphere from the land use sector.

Distribution of peatlands Continents Total area in 10 6 km 2 Continent in % of global land area Peatlands in km 2 % of area of continent % of global peatland area Africa , Antarctica Asia ,523, Australasia (Oceania) , Europe , North America ,884, South America , Total ,155,

Top 15 countries for peatland area CountryPeatland area (km 2 ) 1Russia1,390,000 2Canada1,177,000 3USA625,000 4Indonesia270,000 5Finland85,000 6Sweden66,000 7Brazil55,000 8Peru50,000 9Papua New Guinea28,942 10Norway28,000 11Malaysia25,000 12Belarus23,500 13United Kingdom17,500 14Dem. Republic of the Congo14,000 15Uganda14,000

Peat compared to other stores

The main impacts on peatlands include drainage for agriculture and forestry and associated peat fires, peat extraction, infrastructure and pollution

Drained peat releases carbon Drainage to 1 meter = emission of 90 ton CO 2 /ha/yr in tropics - 30 ton CO 2 /ha/yr in temperate regionDrainage to 1 meter = emission of 90 ton CO 2 /ha/yr in tropics - 30 ton CO 2 /ha/yr in temperate region SE Asia: Agriculture & agro-forestry on 12 million ha contributes around 600 MtCO 2 /yr (drainage only)

Main regions with peatland emisions from drainage

Burning peat releases more carbon Tentative average annual emissions estimate: 1400 to 4300 Mt CO 2 /y

Emissions from peatlands globally CauseDrained area CO 2 emission Total CO 2 emission UnitMio HaTon CO 2 ha -1 a -1 Mton a -1 Drained peatlands in SE Asia Peatland fires in SE Asia 1 1,400 Peatland agriculture outside SE Asia Urbanisation, infrastructure on peatland Peat extraction60 Boreal peatland forestry121 Temperate/tropical peatland forestry Total633,077

Peatlands in relation to other emissions Peatland global emissions – 3 billion tonnes CO2 Peatland global emissions – 3 billion tonnes CO2 Land Use Change Billion tonnes Land Use Change Billion tonnes Peatland emissions are 40% of global land use change emissions Peatland emissions are 40% of global land use change emissions

Issues Permanence Permanence Emission trends Emission trends Methane and Nitrous oxide Methane and Nitrous oxide

Peatlands have greater potential for permanence than any other terrestrial ecosystem (All Coal and lignite and part of the oil and gas originated from peat deposits of previous geological periods).

Future trends in emissions

Water levels and methane emissions in temperate peatlands per year

Water levels and methane emissions in tropical peatlands per hour

Water levels and nitrous oxide emissions in tropical peatlands per hour

Emission reduction Stopping or controlling drainage and fire are the most important and cost effective measures to reduce peatland emissions. Stopping or controlling drainage and fire are the most important and cost effective measures to reduce peatland emissions. Increasing water levels in peatlands decreases Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions but may increases methane only in non-forested peatlands. The result is a net reduction in GHG emission. Increasing water levels in peatlands decreases Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions but may increases methane only in non-forested peatlands. The result is a net reduction in GHG emission. Pilot emission reduction projects have demonstrated that rapid reductions in emission can be achieved within months or at most a few years after the management interventions. Pilot emission reduction projects have demonstrated that rapid reductions in emission can be achieved within months or at most a few years after the management interventions. Large scale emission reductions are possible at relatively low cost of $1-5/tonne of Carbon dioxide. Large scale emission reductions are possible at relatively low cost of $1-5/tonne of Carbon dioxide. Emission reductions often have more permanence and less leakage that other land use emission reduction options. Emission reductions often have more permanence and less leakage that other land use emission reduction options.

Rehabilitation of Degraded peatlands through blocking abandoned drainage Rehabilitation of Degraded peatlands through blocking abandoned drainage

Thailand – Peat Reforestation

Conclusions Peatlands are the most important terrestrial carbon store. Peatlands are the most important terrestrial carbon store. Peatland drainage and fire releases about 3 billion tonnes of Carbon dioxide per year – equivalent to about 40% of total emissions from land use change – equal to all emissions from deforestation – but on only 3% of the land area. Peatland drainage and fire releases about 3 billion tonnes of Carbon dioxide per year – equivalent to about 40% of total emissions from land use change – equal to all emissions from deforestation – but on only 3% of the land area. Peatland stocks naturally have a long permanence, but after degradation can generate long term emissions. Peatland stocks naturally have a long permanence, but after degradation can generate long term emissions. Drainage may reduce methane emissions in some peatlands but increases nitrous oxide emissions. Drainage may reduce methane emissions in some peatlands but increases nitrous oxide emissions. Control of peatland emissions is arguably more strategic that control of all other land use change and land use emissions Control of peatland emissions is arguably more strategic that control of all other land use change and land use emissions

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