With peatlands storing twice as much carbon as the world’s forests, wetlands must be at the centre of the narrative on how we can meet our global climate goals.
Few in Glasgow any longer doubted that boosting the ability of ecosystems to capture and hold on to carbon was an essential adjunct to halting greenhouse-gas emissions from industrial activities. But many countries were still struggling to draw up plans for advancing their own “Nature-based Solutions”. Wetlands International played a significant role at the event by plugging the gaps in national expertise, while placing ourselves prominently in growing global efforts in wetlands conservation and restoration. With support from the Dutch National Postcode Lottery, we were in Glasgow nurturing relationships with governments, NGOs, and finance institutions to advance the learning process and assist in mainstream policy initiatives to protect and restore wetlands. Forests have long been seen as part of a solution for greenhouse-gas emissions. However, the conference’s location in Scotland helped raise the profile of wetlands alongside forests as Nature-based Solutions. In particular, it highlighted the role of peatlands, which we have pioneered in putting on the international climate change agenda.
COP26 took place near some of Europe’s most important and carbon-rich peat bogs, including the Flow Country, which is often called the most intact and extensive blanket bog system in the world. The Scottish hosts embraced that proximity with a commitment to restore a quarter-million hectares of its degraded peatlands by 2030. A popular venue on the conference fringe was the Peatland Pavilion, which we organised along with the Global Peatlands Initiative, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Succow Stiftung, Greifswald Mire Centre, IUCN Peatlands Programme, National Trust for Scotland and University of East London. The Pavilion contained a water droplet structure built out of reeds gathered from peatlands, and a 3D virtual pavilion with more than 200 exhibits, streamed online in 22 languages. It was attended in person by more than 20 ministers and high-level participants. Additionally, 45 sessions were held on everything from conservation finance to the science of peatlands as carbon megastores, sharing field work and best practice for restoration with governments, donors, and companies. The virtual Pavilion lives on as a permanent online resource.
Wetlands Internatinal’s CEO Jane Madgwick speaking with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Global Center on Adaptation
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Wetlands International Annual Review 2021
Wetlands International Annual Review 2021
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