LIFE PeatCarbon -Peatland restoration for greenhouse gas emission reduction and carbon sequestration in the Baltic Sea region

Narrative

The LIFE PeatCarbon project aims to mitigate climate change by implementing Climate Change Mitigation (CCM) measures in degraded peatlands, which are among the most threatened ecosystems in Europe due to drainage and over-exploitation. Peatlands store large quantities of carbon, making them important carbon sinks, but peatland drainage and climate change cause peat oxidation and carbon release, contributing to CO2 emissions. The project will implement CCM measures in peatlands in Latvia and Finland, demonstrating innovative tools and methods for GHG monitoring, and develop a replicable and transferable simulation model for cost-effective monitoring and estimation of project actions on GHG emissions. The expected results include a reduced amount of CO2 emissions in the project sites, positive effects from management actions on 5,414 ha of peatlands, a comprehensive methodology for assessing the impacts of implemented measures, and an internationally applicable Best Practice Book on CCM measures. Through the project, the University of Latvia and other beneficiaries from Latvia, Finland, Denmark, and Germany aim to enhance the knowledge base for the development, assessment, monitoring, evaluation, and implementation of effective CCM actions and measures for degraded peatlands. They will carry out innovative dissemination, awareness raising, and training activities, as well as harmonize peatland communication efforts, inside and outside the project. The project will contribute to the EU’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and provide transferable and replicable tools for implementation in peatlands across the EU, helping to reduce negative impacts on peatlands and obtain appropriate, credible data on GHG fluxes from peatlands on a national, European, and global scale.

Financial data

Total Eligible Budget: 4,425,740 € EU Contribution: 2,655,444 € Contribution Percentage 60%

Recommendations

• Invest in projects that address important environmental issues, such as the degradation of peatlands and their contribution to CO2 emissions.

• Implement Climate Change Mitigation (CCM) measures in different regions of the EU to contribute to the EU's commitments under the Paris Agreement and mitigate the impact of climate change.

• Encourage the use of innovative tools and applicable methods for greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring, and the development of replicable and transferable simulation models for cost-effective monitoring and estimation of project actions on GHG emissions.

• Encourage the development of transferable and replicable tools for implementation in different regions of the EU to reduce negative impacts on peatlands and obtain appropriate, credible data on GHG fluxes from peatlands on a national, European, and global scale.

• Promote the involvement of local communities and stakeholders in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of projects to ensure their support and cooperation, and foster collaboration with other relevant projects, initiatives, and organizations to ensure complementary activities and results that contribute to the wider efforts to mitigate climate change and protect the environment.