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LIFE PeatCarbon Project

LIFE21-CCM-LV-LIFE-PeatCarbon

Globally, peatlands are considered to be ecosystems of great importance. Peatlands are rich in biodiversity and play a crucial role in climate regulation and water cycling. The layer of peat that is developed over thousands of years in these areas acts as an immense carbon sink. Due to drainage of peatlands, large quantities of greenhouse gases are released, contributing to global warming. 

Financed by the European Commission and based on the cooperation of Latvia, Finland, Germany and Denmark, project LIFE21-CCM-LV-LIFE-PeatCarbon aims to successfully implement climate change mitigation (CCM) measures in raised bogs in Latvia and Finland. To stop continual degradation and release of carbon emissions from these peatlands, dams in drainage ditches along the bog perimeters will be constructed. The water-soaked earth will allow vegetation to regrow in degraded areas and prevent carbon from being released from the peat. An important aspect of the project is the utilization of innovative methods, including the creation of an ecosystem model based on remote sensing and monitoring results. Through these innovative methods, resulting changes in the hydrology, vegetation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be supervised closely. Monitoring also provides and contributes to knowledge on decreasing GHG emissions that can later be accessed by policy-makers and the general public. Knowledge sharing events hosted by Germany and Denmark at the end of the project to educate politicians, experts and the public will promote the results of the project and the importance of peatlands in carbon emission reduction.

 

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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WP6
Sustainability, replication and exploitation of the project result

Objectives:

  • To enable knowledge transfer to ecological restoration practitioners on new methods and techniques for climate actions on drained peatlands.

  • To enable replication of the project methodology on peatland restoration success and GHG emission evaluation to the Baltic Sea region.

  • To contribute to international standards and assessment tools for verification of carbon sequestration within the peatland restoration projects.

  • To contribute to the National GHG inventories on rewetted peatlands in Latvia and Finland with an outlook to upscale the recommendations to other Baltic Sea region countries.

  • To provide the decision-makers in Baltic Sea region with a tool for inventory and prioritization of drained peatland sites based on their GHG emission reduction potential.

Expected results:

  • Demonstration workshop on new restoration methods and techniques for climate actions on drained peatlands organized for practitioners from Baltic Sea region countries.

  • Training on application and use of algorithm-based RS Tool and modeling in GHG assessments and inventories given to professionals from Baltic Sea region countries.

  • Adopted and updated Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) methodology for the estimation of GHG emissions from drained and rewetted peatlands in the Baltic Sea region.

  • Updated National Reporting system on GHG emissions from rewetted peatlands

  • Adopted and updated Decision-Support System (DSS) for CCM measures on drained peatlands for Baltic Sea region.

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