Permafrost Peatlands

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate Change

Context- Permafrost peatlands in Europe and western Siberia might be approaching their tipping point faster than expected, a new study warned.

Concept-

More about the Study:

According to the study published in Nature Climate Change, Frozen wetlands in Europe and western Siberia store up to 39 billion tonnes of carbon.
By 2040, northern Europe might become too wet and warm to support permafrost peatlands, the study added.

About Peatlands:

Peatlands are a class of wetlands, which are ecosystems flooded with water.
Waterlogged conditions limit microbial decay of dead plant materials rich in carbon dioxide.
This prevents the reintroduction of the gas into the atmosphere.
Peatlands occupy only 3 per cent of the global land surface, store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
Permafrost Peatlands: Some peatlands are buried under frozen ground or permafrost and exist as permafrost peatlands.
- They are found in the northern parts of Alaska, Canada, Russia and parts of northern Europe.
- Frozen wetlands in Europe and western Siberia store up to 39 billion tonnes of carbon. This is equivalent to twice that is held by the whole of European forests.
- By 2060, these areas could lose 75 per cent under moderate efforts to mitigate climate change.
- Sweden, Alaska and Canada in the Arctic are already witnessing warmer temperatures, according to the UNEP.

Peatlands and climate change:

Peatlands are a type of wetland which are critical for preventing and mitigating the effects of climate change, preserving biodiversity, minimising flood risk, and ensuring safe drinking water.
Peatlands are the largest natural terrestrial carbon store. They store more carbon than all other vegetation types in the world combined.
Damaged peatlands are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for almost 5% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions.
- Peatland restoration can reduce emissions significantly.
Countries should include peatland conservation and restoration in their commitments to international agreements, including the Paris Agreement on climate change.

What is the Global Peatlands Initiative?

The Global Peatlands Initiative is an effort by leading experts and institutions formed by 13 founding members at the UNFCCC COP in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016 to save peatlands as the world’s largest terrestrial organic carbon stock and to prevent it being emitted into the atmosphere.
Partners to the Initiative are working together within their respective areas of expertise to improve the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of peatlands.
One of the first outputs of the Global Peatlands Initiative will be an assessment, which will focus on the status of peatlands and their importance in the global carbon cycle.
It will also examine the importance of peatlands for national economies.

Impact of thawing of permafrost: Thawing Permafrost – Optimize IAS