Why Peatlands Matter
3%
of Earth's surface
600B
tons of carbon stored
17%
currently protected
Peatlands store more carbon than all the world's forest biomass combined.
Protection Levels: Peatlands vs Other Ecosystems
Peatlands
17%
Mangroves
42%
Saltmarshes
50%
Tropical Forests
38%
Nearly one-quarter of peatlands face heavy human pressure.
Peatlands Under Pressure
15%
drained for agriculture
drained for agriculture
5-10%
degraded through vegetation loss or mining
degraded through vegetation loss or mining
40%+
degraded in tropical regions
degraded in tropical regions
1.5-2.5B tons
CO2 emitted annually from damaged peatlands
CO2 emitted annually from damaged peatlands
"Failure to protect peatlands puts their carbon stores at high risk" - Kemen Austin, PhD
Indigenous Peoples: Vital Caretakers
27%
of global peatlands on Indigenous lands
1.1M km²
under Indigenous stewardship
85%
lack other formal protection
Strengthening land rights = stronger conservation outcomes
"Indigenous Peoples are already important caretakers of peatlands" - Paul Elsen, PhD
Where Are the World's Peatlands?
Top 10 countries hold 80% of global peatlands:
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇷🇺 Russia
- 🇮🇩 Indonesia
- 🇺🇸 USA
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇨🇩 DRC
- 🇨🇳 China
- 🇵🇪 Peru
- 🇫🇮 Finland
- 🇨🇬 Congo
First five countries hold 70% of global peatlands.
More Than Carbon: Why Peatlands Matter
Freshwater
10% of world's unfrozen freshwater stored in peatlands
Biodiversity
Home to mosses, birds, fish, butterflies, and snails
Climate
Critical for limiting global warming to 1.5°C
Conservation of undegraded peatlands + recovery of degraded ones is essential.
The Time to Act Is Now
"If we act now to conserve peatlands, then we can reap some enormous benefits - at a relatively low cost." - Kemen Austin, PhD
- Elevate peatlands in UNFCCC negotiations
- Support national peatland strategies
- Strengthen Indigenous land rights
- Fund conservation and restoration