Peatlands cover just 3% of the Earth’s surface, yet their significance extends far beyond what their size might suggest. These ancient, waterlogged ecosystems are nature’s carbon vaults, storing more carbon than all the world’s forests combined. However, peatlands are not merely carbon reservoirs but are vital to water regulation, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience. They remain among the least understood and most threatened ecosystems globally despite their critical role.
The Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas, published by UNEP, provides an in-depth look at these ecosystems’ distribution, threats, and opportunities. This report paints a vivid picture of their state worldwide and highlights the urgent need for action.
Peatlands are found in 177 of the 193 UN member states, making them a near-global feature. Climate zones, topography, and hydrology heavily influence their distribution. The largest concentrations are in boreal and tropical regions, where cooler temperatures and high precipitation favor peat formation. For instance, Asia leads the world in peatland coverage, with vast tracts spanning Siberia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas.
The Congo Basin in Africa hosts the world’s second-largest tropical peatland complex, covering over 145,000 square kilometers. In contrast, Europe has a long history of peatland exploitation, with many areas drained for agriculture and forestry. North America’s Hudson Bay Lowland and the Mackenzie River Basin are critical carbon storage regions, while South America’s Amazonian peatlands support unique ecosystems.
Globally, peatlands cover approximately 488 million hectares, equivalent to 3.8% of the planet’s land area. This immense coverage holds an estimated 600,000 megatons of carbon—an irreplaceable buffer against climate change.
Peatlands face escalating threats from human activities and climate change. Drainage for agriculture is the leading cause of degradation, turning these carbon sinks into sources of emissions. Annually, an estimated 500,000 hectares of intact peatlands are destroyed—a rate ten times faster than their natural expansion.
Degraded peatlands emit nearly 1,941 megatons of CO2 equivalent annually, accounting for 4% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. In temperate and tropical regions, industrial agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure development further exacerbate this issue. The consequences are stark: subsiding land, flooding, and critical biodiversity loss.
Peatlands in arid zones face an additional layer of risk. For example, the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Lake Chad in Africa are shrinking due to overgrazing and water abstraction. In Southeast Asia, tropical peatlands are frequently set ablaze during dry seasons, creating smoldering fires that release hazardous smoke and significant emissions.
Peatlands are biodiversity hotspots, providing habitat for countless rare and endangered species. In tropical peat swamp forests, over 1,500 plant species, 123 mammals, and 219 freshwater fish species thrive. However, human encroachment has pushed many to the brink of extinction.
The Atlas identifies 303 plant species and 767 animal species within peatland ecosystems as vulnerable or critically endangered. Examples include the Zapata Wren in Cuba’s wetlands and the Bog Turtle in the United States. Both are imperiled by habitat destruction from drainage and urbanization.
Beyond individual species, peatlands support entire ecosystems. Though less biodiverse than tropical, Arctic peatlands are crucial for their keystone species, such as Sphagnum moss. These mosses shape their environment’s hydrology and carbon dynamics, making their conservation vital.
Africa’s peatlands occupy 39 million hectares or 8% of the total global land area. The Congo Basin alone stores 36,896 megatons of carbon. Despite this, 8% of African peatlands are already degraded, with logging and oil exploration posing new threats. Annual emissions from degraded peatlands in Africa amount to 130 megatons of CO2 equivalent, about 7% of global emissions from peatlands.
Asia boasts the largest share of global peatlands, covering 33% of the total area. From Siberia’s frozen polygonal peatlands to Indonesia’s tropical peat swamps, these ecosystems are as diverse as they are essential. Indonesia alone is home to 21 million hectares of peatlands, but rapid deforestation and drainage for palm oil plantations have severely impacted their integrity.
Europe’s peatlands, primarily in Russia, Finland, and Sweden, have been extensively drained for agriculture and forestry. While 19% of European peatlands are protected, centuries of use have degraded many ecosystems. Still, restoration projects are underway, focusing on rewetting drained peatlands to mitigate emissions.
North America’s boreal peatlands in Canada and the U.S. remain relatively intact, but urban expansion threatens their fringes. The Amazon’s peatlands in South America are crucial for regional water cycles and biodiversity. Meanwhile, Oceania’s alpine peatlands, such as those in Tasmania, face increasing threats from climate change.
Restoration and conservation are the keys to preserving peatlands. The UNEP’s Global Peatlands Initiative has made strides in promoting sustainable management practices, such as paludiculture—agriculture adapted to wet conditions. Protecting intact peatlands is cost-effective, providing carbon storage, biodiversity conservation, and flood mitigation.
As the Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas emphasizes, the stakes are high. Peatlands are not just ecosystems; they are lifelines for the planet. Their preservation is intertwined with global efforts to combat climate change, meet biodiversity targets, and achieve sustainable development goals.
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