1. 1. Peatlands management and sustainability Marcel Silvius, Programme Head Climate-smart Land-use Programme IPS, Tullamore, 8 June 2015
2. 2. Wetlands International A global conservation NGO dedicated to sustain and restore wetlands for people and nature
3. 3. Peatlands around the world Peatlands globally store twice the carbon stored in forests
4. 4. Peat swamp typical for Atlantic forest of Brazil and countries of the Guyana shield
5. 5. Congo basin
6. 6. Peat swamp forest in Maputa land, Southern Africa Valley peats in St Lucia National Park South Africa
7. 7. Temperate zone peatlands
8. 8. Uganda Belarus Malaysia China Peatland drainage & climate
9. 9. Degrading peatlands: a global issue Hotspots of CO2 emissions (annual) 400 million ha peatlands world wide 15% (50 million ha) is drained and degrading, causing CO2 emissions 50% of global peat emissions come from South-east Asia USA 72 Mt EU 174 Mt Russia 160 Mt Central Asia 15 Mt 1000Mt SE Asia
10. 10. 10 Peat CO2 emissions from drainage (without fires) IPCC 5% of all human induced emissions globally
11. 11. Close look at Europe Data: H. Joosten and J. Couwenberg
12. 12. Peatlands in Europe are often modified land Consequences: 2% of EUs agricultural on drained peat causes 70% of EUs agricultural GHG emissions Netherlands peatlands: 2-6 meters below sea level Land subsidence High flood risks in lowlands High costs for dikes and pumping Loss of biodiversity West Europe > 90% drained Central Europe > 50% drained
13. 13. Perverse subsidies in Germany and the EU Wide-spread maize cultivation on drained peat for biogas production Used for subsidised energy: electricity and heating Tax free (EU Commission - for climate change mitigation) But this biogas is not climate friendly Carbon footprint 8 fossil fuel (from peat oxidation) EU Renewable Energy & Fuel Quality Directives: No source materials for biofuels from drained peatlands & wetlands but this doesnt apply to energy.
14. 14. Peat extraction Always unsustainable (loss of carbon store)
15. 15. Always seek optimal use of alternatives TheNetherlan Total: 4.2 Millio Soil&growingmedia Total: 35 Million cubic meter Energy Total: 35 Million cubic meter Peat consumption in Europe Total: 70 Million cubic meter Not high added value Plenty of alternatives High added value Kerry, Ireland Ireland (original peatland area 14,000 km2) has degraded 93% of its raised bogs and 82% of its blanket mire resource
16. 16. Optimal replacement of peat in growing media EU subsidises the burning of millions of tonnes of high quality compost This material could potentially replace up to 20% of peat in high quality growing media for horticulture Climate subsidies thus cause shortage of compost materials for the growing media sector Conclusion: 1. Burning of compost impedes the replacement of substantial amounts of peat in growing media 2. This results in more GHG emissions from peatland degradation 3. EU is subsidising climate change with climate funding! Compost can replace part of peat in growing media
17. 17. Leakage and indirect land-use change Is stopping extraction in Germany a solution? It will lead to additional extraction of class 1 & 2 sites in the Baltic states
18. 18. RPP For high added value applications transparency certification Can there be a win-win? Help restore degraded areas Minimise negative effects Maximise positive effects No extraction from high conservation value areas Requirements over and above existing legislation Peat extraction Peatland rehabilitation after peat mining Esterweger Dose
19. 19. Where can there be RPP? ? ? Never Not allowable, unless Generally allowable, unless. Always allowed
20. 20. Creating an after-use outcome that is better than the situation pre-extraction NET POSITIVE IMPACT
21. 21. Biomass sustainable bioenergy If using high quality compost materials that could be used to replace peat in growing media Agriculture on peat sustainable It is one of the most climate destructive activities Biogas sustainable energy If it is derived from biomass grown on drained peat Stopping peat extraction in Germany good for the environment It displaces the problem to the Baltics and Scandinavia with higher impacts on biodiversity and climate Peat extraction on degraded peatlands bad It can help to restore degraded peatlands Not everything is what it looks like
22. 22. Towards European Action on Peatlands Conservation: Establish system of effective peatland conservation Representation of all biogeographic regions Peat mining: Peat extraction only in degraded sites, with requirement for peatland restoration after extraction Nature restoration or Paludiculture Invest in research and availability (!) of alternatives Agriculture: No expansion of drainage-based agriculture on peat Phasing out of drainage-based agriculture on peat
23. 23. Close look at South-east Asia
24. 24. Most (60%) tropical PSF is in SE Asia; mainly Sumatra & Borneo
25. 25. SE Asias remaining primary PSF is mainly limited to Brunei Belait peat swamp forest, Brunei
26. 26. SE Asian peat forests have high species biodiversity!
27. 27. 11% of plants found in PSF are endemic to PSF 14% of freshwater fish in PSF are point endemics 45% mammals / 33% birds of PSF in IUCN Red List Endemism: especially species directly related to peat soil or water Many rare and endemic species in SE Asian peat forests
28. 28. Dragonfly endemism in PSF Podolestes atomariusElattoneura erythroma Amphicnemis platystyla Amphicnemis spec. novum Prodasineura spec novum Raphismia inermis Coeliccia species novum Elattoneura longispina Coeliccia spec novum > 10% of dragonfly species known from Central Kalimantan are PSF specialists
29. 29. Sout-east Asia Most of South-east Asian peatlands
30. 30. Impact of peatland drainage: oxidation and fires August 2013 fires in Riau
31. 31. Peatlands the largest carbon source in Indonesia 50% of Indonesian GHG emissions from peatlands only 6% of agricultural land
32. 32. Peatland drainage, subsidence and flooding Matu-Daru district, Sarawak, Malaysia CO2 CO2CO2
33. 33. Examples of subsidence in the field Drained > 100 years Oil palm flooded after 10 years Foundation constructed 2002 Peat subsidence and resulting flooding is a fact Johor, Malaysia, 2011Alabio polder, South Kalimantan 70 cm Flooded oil palm plantation in Riau, 2014
34. 34. Almost all lowland peatlands of Sumatra and Borneo will be affected by flooding Case study: Rajang delta, Sarawak
35. 35. Deforestation 8% per year Rapid conversion to palm oil Remaining peat forests largely affected by drainage Land conversion Sarawak Situation in 2004 Situation in 2014
36. 36. 2009: most of the delta lies above mean sea level 2019: subsidence will have brought most of the peatland down or just above mean sea level Projected peatland subsidence
37. 37. Projected impacts of subsidence and related flooding N
38. 38. Towards solutions Policies changed?!
39. 39. 1.Stop further peatland degradation: Stop conversion of natural peat forests Exclude drained peat based products from supply chains (e.g. palm oil, paper) 2.Rewet drained peatlands: Phase out drainage based land-use Phase in paludiculture Commercial use of rewetted peatlands Priorities for reducing impacts
40. 40. Peatland rewetting, Central Kalimantan Hydrological restoration stops emissions and restores biodiversity
41. 41. Communities build dams using traditional techniques 2003 2012
42. 42. Paludiculture, Central Kalimantan Communities replant degraded peatlands Reforestation
43. 43. In cooperation with PT RMU and Ecosystem Restoration Concessions in Indonesia Wetlands International staff surveying the 150,000 ha Katingan Ecosystem Restoration Concession
44. 44. Community-based implementation Local stakeholders must benefit Healthy & productive environment Employment & benefit sharing Micro-credits See: www.wetlands.org/bio-rights Paludiculture sustainable income Carbon credits from village forests and paludiculture
45. 45. We need to start a paradigm shift from unsustainable practices to Net Positive Impact More information on www.wetlands.org Thank y u