LAND USE AND ENVIRONMENT
Study into peatlands and climate change
emissions across the world, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has set up a project to examine how the loss of stored carbon is contributing to climate change. Damage to peatlands is responsible for 10 per cent of all global carbon emissions. Much of this comes from countries like Indonesia, but the UK has a relatively large area of peatland and is ranked among the top 20 nations for carbon emissions from damaged peatland. Areas such as the Peak District, with a long history of wildfire, contribute the most to UK emissions but 80 per cent of the UK blanket bogs are in Scotland and it too has its problems, for instance drainage of bogs in the Flow Country. The science around this issue is still developing and there needs to be a better understanding for UK governments to make balanced policy. So the IUCN UK Peatland Programme has set up a Commission of Inquiry to provide “authoritative scientific-based policy relevant reviews on the state of peatlands, the impact of different activities on peatland/ecosystem services and on the benefits of restoring and conserving them”. Since a large proportion of peatlands in Scotland are in private ownership, this is an important issue for upland owners and managers. There will be a strong focus in the enquiry on managed muirburn, which some think contributes to drying out peat and leads to
With the current concern about CO2
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discolouration of water supplies – but also helps to control damaging wildfires.
The SRPBA and the Moorland
Forum will be closely involved in the inquiry and we have secured a place on the UK Advisory panel, which held its first meeting on 26 May in York. We need to be fully up to speed with the progress of the enquiry, particularly as to how it affects management activities such as muirburn and drainage. We also want to ensure that Scottish peatland owners are able to play a leading role in restoration and conservation projects that may attract significant funding, and in any schemes which may develop for carbon offset trading. Scotland’s moorland owners must be part of the solution to any problems which are thrown up in the inquiry, especially as peatland restoration may be included by Scottish Government in its climate change action targets. For many years, moorland owners have been playing a big but perhaps unrecognised role in looking after the carbon locked up in peat, and the world is taking an increasing interest in it. It is vital that this role is recognised and that moorland owners are able to enhance carbon capture and be at the forefront of an issue that will play a growing part in all management decisions.
SRPBA Moorland Group Secretary Tim Baynes
For more information, see www.iucn-uk-peatland
programme.org
LANDBUSINESS ISSUE 36 JUNE-JULY 2010
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