New resource October 2024
Climate Solution: Protecting Peat
Why Protect Peatland?
Peatland is a vital carbon sink, with benefits for humanity, wildlife and the planet
The second main recommendation of our Church Land and the Climate Crisis report is that churches and Christian landowners need to be protecting and restoring peatland. Healthy, wet peatland is an important carbon sink, but when it’s dried out and degraded the opposite is true and it becomes a greenhouse gas emitter. The majority of peatland in the UK is currently degraded and released nearly 4% of UK total emissions in 2022.
Healthy peatland supports biodiversity including rare bitterns, short-eared owls and sphagnum mosses. Practical benefits of peatland include supporting water cycles, controlling pollution and flood resilience.
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Where is peatland in the UK
The majority of UK peatlands occur in Scotland, and much is under woodland cover; but the land that is under agricultural use and most under threat tends to be the 15% mainly in lowland regions of England such as the Fens, Norfolk Broads, Manchester Mosses and Somerset Levels. There is a Natural England map indicating peatland extent in England here.
Videos - Peat Prayer, Collective Worship: Earth education and Raptors at Great Fen
Case studies of peatland protection and restoration
Peat Protection Action Plans and Reports
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) UK Peatland Programme exists to promote peatland restoration in the UK. They have published a 2024 progress report. IUCN associated projects can be found on this map.
The England Peat Action Plan was published in 2021. One of its aims was to produce an updated England peat map which is being coordinated by Natural England and due for publication in 2025, see blog.
Many of the Wildlife Trusts are active in peatland protection work, often in collaboration with other local partners. For more information visit Great Fen or the Great North Bog.
Household use of peat in gardening and purchases
Compost for horticulture has historically contained peat although peat-free composts are now much more available.
Some plants are typically grown on peat, most commonly mushrooms, leafy salads and houseplants. Sainsbury’s has recently become the first supermarket to offer peat-free mushrooms across 200 stores, and more garden centres and plant suppliers are stocking peat-free houseplants.
Campaigns to join to protect peat
- Peat-Free Partnership are calling for new legislation to ban peat sales.
- The Wildlife Trusts have a Hidden Peat campaign raising awareness and requiring transparency about peat-based products and calling for more government action.
