Peatland
Why it Matters?
Indonesia's peatland wildfires, like the one in Riau, pose transboundary pollution risks due to persistent smoke and haze affecting regional air quality.
What You Should Know?
Peatlands are wetlands where waterlogged conditions slow decomposition, allowing dead plants to accumulate and form peat.
They occur in every climatic zone and continent, covering about 4.23 million km² or 2.84% of Earth’s land surface.
The term “peatland” refers to both the peat soil and the wetland vegetation on its surface.
Tropical peatlands exist in the Congo Basin and Southeast Asia, while temperate ones include mires in Scotland.
Peatlands store more carbon than all other vegetation types combined, making them the largest natural terrestrial carbon store.
Healthy peatlands sequester 0.37 gigatonnes of CO₂ annually, essential for a zero-carbon transition.
About 84% of global peatlands are in natural or near-natural condition, while 16% are drained, contributing to CO₂ emissions.
Damaged peatlands emit nearly 5% of global anthropogenic CO₂, despite covering just 0.3–0.5% of the Earth's surface.
Natural peatlands help mitigate climate change, regulate water flow, lower flood and drought risk, and preserve air quality.
They support biodiversity and local livelihoods, offering food, fibre, and preserving archaeological records.
Drained peatlands pollute drinking water and require active water table management to restore hydrology.
Destruction of peat swamps threatens critically endangered species, such as the Bornean orangutan.
Peatland restoration is a proven Nature-based Solution, aligning with SDGs and the Paris Agreement climate goals.
Peatland degradation is mainly due to drainage, agriculture, burning, and mining for fuel.