About GLF Peatlands 2024

Peatlands cover 3-4% of Earth’s land but store a third of global soil carbon. Despite their importance, 12% are degraded, contributing 4% of human-induced emissions.

Degradation, driven by agriculture and forestry, causes environmental and social issues like fires and economic damage. Managing peatlands effectively requires collaboration across sectors.

The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Peatlands 2024 Hybrid Conference brought together global stakeholders to address gaps in peatland science, policy, and practice. Held alongside the UNFCCC Bonn Climate Change Conference, it explored peatlands’ roles in carbon storage, biodiversity, and water regulation.

Closing Presentation by Daniel Murdiyarso

Join Daniel Murdiyarso, Principal Scientist at CIFOR-ICRAF, as he explores the overlooked importance of peatlands and the crucial reasons why they must be brought to the forefront of global conservation efforts.

The post Why peatlands are forgotten and what needs to be remembered appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.

About GLF Peatlands 2024

Peatlands cover 3-4% of Earth’s land but store a third of global soil carbon. Despite their importance, 12% are degraded, contributing 4% of human-induced emissions.

Degradation, driven by agriculture and forestry, causes environmental and social issues like fires and economic damage. Managing peatlands effectively requires collaboration across sectors.

The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Peatlands 2024 Hybrid Conference brought together global stakeholders to address gaps in peatland science, policy, and practice. Held alongside the UNFCCC Bonn Climate Change Conference, it explored peatlands’ roles in carbon storage, biodiversity, and water regulation.

Global Significance and Challenges of Peatland Management

This plenary session explored the multifaceted significance of peatlands, examining their diverse meanings across sectors and scales. It addressed the complex challenges of peatland management, emphasizing constructive dialogue and deliberative governance. Global perspectives highlighted the imperative of peatland conservation amid transboundary impacts, calling for inclusive management models. The session also tackled financing challenges associated with peatland restoration and sustainable alternatives.

Speakers

Moderator: Juan Pablo Sarmiento Barletti, CIFOR-ICRAF.

Speakers: Daniel Murdiyarso, Principal Scientist at CIFOR-ICRAF; Berioska Quispe, General Director of Climate Change and Desertification at the Ministry of Environment, Peru; Heike Henn, Director for Climate, Energy and Environment at BMZ; Franziska Tanneberger, Director of the Greifswald Mire Centre; Vera Songwe, Chair and Founder of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility; Bethany Copsey, Member of RE-PEAT; and Eka Cahyaningrum, Founder of Himba Raya Indonesia (HIRAI).

The post Landscape of the Peat: Inclusive Management Solutions appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.

About GLF Peatlands 2024

Peatlands cover 3-4% of Earth’s land but store a third of global soil carbon. Despite their importance, 12% are degraded, contributing 4% of human-induced emissions.

Degradation, driven by agriculture and forestry, causes environmental and social issues like fires and economic damage. Managing peatlands effectively requires collaboration across sectors.

The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Peatlands 2024 Hybrid Conference brought together global stakeholders to address gaps in peatland science, policy, and practice. Held alongside the UNFCCC Bonn Climate Change Conference, it explored peatlands’ roles in carbon storage, biodiversity, and water regulation.

Indonesia’s Peat-IMPACTS Project

Discover insights from Indonesia’s Peat IMPACTS project, aiming to enhance sustainable peatland management. Addressing challenges through governance strengthening, sustainable supply chains, and climate governance, Peat IMPACTS aligns with Indonesia’s NDC goals. This session highlights project outcomes and synergies with Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) Indonesia and the International Tropical Peatland Center (ITPC).

Speakers

Dr. Sonya Dewi, Principal Investigator of Peat IMPACTS; Feri Johana, Project Coordinator; Regina Ariyati and Ir. H Adi Yani from provincial governments; and Dr. Agus Justianto, Director of Sustainable Forest Management in Indonesia.

The post 360 Degree Approach to Improving Capacity of Multiple Stakeholders to Manage Peatland Sustainably: Lessons learned from Indonesia appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.

About GLF Peatlands 2024

Peatlands cover 3-4% of Earth’s land but store a third of global soil carbon. Despite their importance, 12% are degraded, contributing 4% of human-induced emissions.

Degradation, driven by agriculture and forestry, causes environmental and social issues like fires and economic damage. Managing peatlands effectively requires collaboration across sectors.

The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Peatlands 2024 Hybrid Conference brought together global stakeholders to address gaps in peatland science, policy, and practice. Held alongside the UNFCCC Bonn Climate Change Conference, it explored peatlands’ roles in carbon storage, biodiversity, and water regulation.

Unlocking the Power of Peatlands

This plenary session gathered experts, policymakers, and practitioners to foster integrated solutions for peatland management. Emphasizing the critical importance of peatlands for climate regulation and biodiversity conservation, the discussion delved into the pressing need for conservation efforts. By building on existing knowledge, we confronted the challenges hindering effective peatland protection and restoration. The session explored how actionable research and local best practices from across regions can pave the way for a regenerative future for peatlands.

Session Speakers

Moderator: Amy Duchelle, Senior Forestry Officer and Team Leader of Forests and Climate in FAO’s Forestry Division

Speakers: Éliane Ubalijoro, CEO, CIFOR-ICRAF; Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, BMZ; Musonda Mumba, Secretary General, Convention on Wetlands; Alfred Okot Okidi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water & Environment of Uganda; Kristell Hergoualc’h, Senior Scientist, CIFOR’s Climate Change, Energy and Low-Carbon Development Team; Alexandra Barthelmes, Senior Researcher, Greifswald University; Claudenir Favero, Full Professor of Soil Management and Agroecology, UFVJM; Erci Ezerda Alves Ferreira, Community Leader & Vice-President, Guardians Association of the Quilombo Serra do Quilombo de Raiz; Andreia Ferreira dos Santos Ribeiro, President, Guardians Association of the Quilombo Serra do Quilombo de Raiz; Emmanuela Shinta, Founder, Ranu Welum Foundation.

The post The Climate Solution We Forgot: Unlocking the Power of Peatlands appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.

About the Rewilding Community of Practice

The Rewilding Community of Practice aims to build a network of rewilding enthusiasts and professionals who can exchange ideas and information to help build a better world.

This webinar brings together experienced rewilders to learn more about what it takes to rewild waterways from four experienced practitioners with very different approaches to rewilding but have a shared passion for preserving our most precious resource for future generations.

The post Rewilding Waterways: Restoring Nature’s Flow appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.

About the Restoration Experiences Digital Forum

The climate and biodiversity crises are already affecting people and landscapes around the world. But there’s one natural remedy that can tackle them both: restoring degraded and damaged landscapes.

There are already countless restoration projects that are turning degraded landscapes into beacons of hope and resilience. At the Restoration Experiences Digital Forum, we got the chance to get to know some of these projects and meet the people behind them.

Discover how local restoration projects are reshaping landscapes globally, and get inspired to start your own!

Project Presentations Unveiled

These slides showcase the presentations delivered by each restoration experience project. Get to know these amazing restoration champions, and discover the valuable lessons embedded in their successes and challenges. Dive into the milestones that define their journey, and embrace the friendly calls to action they passionately support.

The post Restoration Experiences Digital Forum: Project presentations appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.

About GLF Nairobi 2023: ‘A new Vision for Earth’

The GLF Nairobi 2023 Hybrid Conference, held on October 11 and 12, convened global thought leaders to set the stage for COP28, the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference. This pivotal event mobilised action on critical issues affecting humanity, biodiversity, and our planet.

The conference featured two focused days: Day 1 centered on “Africa’s Sovereign Solutions,” exploring pathways to a sustainable and prosperous future for the continent. Day 2, dedicated to climate, aimed to craft a “Survival Guide for a Planet in Crisis,” paving the way for a fairer world ahead of COP28.

GLF Nairobi brought together a diverse coalition of influential voices, ranging from scientists, activists, and Indigenous leaders to financiers, women, youth, policymakers, and private sector representatives. As a united front, we collectively championed change and passionately advocated for meaningful action in these pivotal times.

About this session

The International Bamboo and Ratan Organization (INBAR) was introduced as a pivotal resource for green jobs and economic growth in Africa. Five presenters discussed the National Bamboo Strategy’s impact on land restoration in different countries. They emphasized bamboo’s ecological restoration potential and its role in sustainability and economic development.

The session underscored the importance of policy, market access, resource development, and pro-poor value chains to unlock bamboo’s benefits. South-South cooperation and comprehensive incentives were also discussed to ensure the broad-reaching advantages of bamboo value chains. The meeting concluded with a reminder of the importance of planning for the future through bamboo initiatives.

The post Can bamboo save African livelihoods? appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.

About the FOLUR Annual Meeting

The FOLUR Impact Program brought together over 100 country projects and core partners in São Paulo, Brazil, to discuss topics surrounding land restoration and sustainable value chain implementation over the course of four days.

In this video, the GLF’s Eden Flaherty sits down with Olena Dadus, Deputy Director, Department of Agrarian Development, Head of the Animal Husbandry and Breeding Department of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

Learn more about the FOLUR Impact Program

The post Olena Dadus from Ukraine at FOLUR Partner Meeting Brazil appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.

• Peatlands play a significant role in the global carbon and methane cycles
• This study found that methane emissions are high in peatlands experiencing disturbances and specific microtopographical conditions
• Methane emissions in the studied Andean peatlands were higher than in other regions of the Andes, and they were associated with certain vegetation types and human disturbances

Why managing and restoring Andean peatlands is vital for climate change mitigation

Peatlands, often overlooked ecosystems, play a crucial role in the global carbon and methane cycles. A recent study focused on peatlands in the Andes, specifically investigating methane emissions. Previous research suggested that methane emissions were low in mountain peatlands due to cushion plants in central and southern regions. However, the new study revealed that disturbances and specific microtopographical conditions influence methane emissions. Methane fluxes were found to be positively correlated with the water table, particularly when it was high or above the surface, and were directly linked to soil temperature.

Surprisingly, the Andean peatlands exhibited higher methane emissions compared to other regions in the Andes, and these emissions were associated with certain vegetation types and human disturbances. Contrary to earlier assumptions, cushion plants showed only a minor contribution to methane emissions, with higher emissions observed from the hollows between cushions, even in undisturbed areas. Additionally, sites dominated by sedges and the moss Sphagnum had higher emissions when the water level was high or when the plants were submerged.

The study emphasizes the significance of managing and restoring Andean peatlands, as disturbed peatlands were found to be significant sources of methane. Intriguingly, restoration efforts involving peat rewetting initially led to higher methane emissions. Nevertheless, in the long term, restoration activities can contribute to reducing methane emissions. Despite these important findings, there is still a lack of clear understanding regarding belowground processes related to methane production and transport in these ecosystems, which hampers the development of effective management strategies. Therefore, further research is needed to improve our knowledge and ensure the preservation of these vital peatland ecosystems and their contribution to the global climate.

Learn how our Restoration Steward David Cardenas is Restoring tropical mountain peatlands in the Colombian Andes

The post Spatial and temporal patterns of methane emissions from mountain peatlands in the northern Andes across a disturbance gradient appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.

The post A guide to investing in landscape restoration to sustain agrifood supply chains appeared first on Global Landscapes Forum.