Global warming and changing land use are pushing peatlands, the planet’s largest carbon stores, toward a breaking point. Studies show ongoing loss of peat bogs in the Amazon and thawing permafrost across northern Europe and western Siberia. Although they cover less than 4% of the Earth’s surface, these ecosystems hold about half of the world’s soil carbon, exceeding the carbon held in all living forests combined. If peatlands release their stored carbon, the atmospheric burden could surge dramatically, with severe climate consequences for many regions.
A peat bog is a type of acidic wetland where plant and microbial matter accumulates as peat in waterlogged conditions over thousands of years. These “sponge-like” landscapes shelter algae and plants that persist as decomposed material, forming habitats across all continents. They account for about half of the world’s wetlands.
Peatlands are highly sensitive to human activity and face risks of loss through drainage and conversion for agricultural, forestry, and urban purposes. When drained, peat decomposes and releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has documented that a significant portion of the world’s peatlands are already drained, contributing roughly one gigatonne of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
Fire-prone areas
An international study focusing on the Peruvian Amazon confirms that changing land use accelerates peat loss and drives substantial greenhouse gas emissions.
The researchers, whose work appears in a leading scientific journal, advocate for policies that conserve and restore peatlands and underscore the importance of detailed location maps and carbon inventories for tropical peat ecosystems.
In the Peruvian Amazon alone, peatlands span roughly 62,000 to 67,000 square kilometers—about twice the size of Catalonia—and hold around 5.4 billion tons of carbon. This is more than previous estimates and represents a striking concentration of carbon within a relatively small portion of the country.
The study, led by researchers from major universities and collaborating institutions, links increased deforestation and CO2 release to the conversion of peatland areas for mining, urban expansion, and agriculture.
The authors call for targeted monitoring, conservation, and sustainable management of tropical peatlands to prevent further degradation and curb CO2 emissions.
When peatlands are drained, they become highly vulnerable to fires, which can cause rapid surges in emissions. In response, Peru has enacted legislation to explicitly protect peatlands as part of climate mitigation efforts.
Bleak climate projections
Peatlands store a large share of soil carbon and are highly susceptible to human pressures. Knowing their locations helps with protection and climate change mitigation, and researchers emphasize that much remains to be learned. Climate scientists note that permafrost peatlands in parts of Europe and western Siberia hold hundreds of billions of tons of carbon, dwarfing regional forest stores.
A study led by a British university examined future regional climates and their impact on permafrost peatlands, using newer climate models to project possible outcomes.
The forecasts are sobering: even with ambitious emission reductions, some northern European peat permafrost may lose its ability to stay frozen by mid-century. Yet strong mitigation could help preserve suitable conditions in northwestern Siberia, a landscape that contains vast peat carbon reserves.
The research highlights the role of policy, economics, and social factors in shaping climate outcomes and stresses that decisions made today will influence the pace of permafrost thawing and carbon release.
A call for action
The findings emphasize that these fragile ecosystems are perched near critical thresholds. Even modest improvements in emissions reductions could slow the loss of favorable conditions for peat permafrost, offering a glimmer of hope for regional climates. Yet the window to act remains narrow, and the potential for reversal depends on sustained climate policy commitments.
Thawing permafrost releases organic matter that decomposes into carbon dioxide and methane, intensifying warming and accelerating climate change. The broad takeaway is clear: protecting peatlands and limiting warming are essential to keeping these carbon-rich landscapes intact.
For further context, researchers reference ongoing work on peatland carbon storage and permafrost dynamics in peer-reviewed studies, which provide detailed measurements and modelling outcomes relevant to policy decisions.
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