LIFE Peat Restore - Reduction of CO2 emissions by restoring degraded peatlands in Northern European Lowland LIFE15 CCM/DE/000138

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1 LIFE Peat Restore - Reduction of CO2 emissions by restoring degraded peatlands in Northern European Lowland LIFE15 CCM/DE/ Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data Read more Contact details: : Project description: Background Some 25-30% of carbon stored in ecosystems is found in peatlands, twice as much carbon as is stored in forests. Peatland degradation, however, leads to the decomposition and mineralisation of peat and consequently to the release of the stored carbon in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). According to Wetlands International, there are at least km2 of degraded peatlands worldwide, releasing some 2 billion tonnes/yr of CO2 worldwide, a figure that is estimated to be increasing by 2% per year. Degraded peatlands are estimated to account for some 5-6% of all CO2 emissions from anthropogenic activities and around 30% of CO2 emissions caused by land use and its transformation. The post-2020 international climate agreement of 2013 obliges signatories to report emissions and removals from peatland drainage and rewetting and to create national greenhouse gas inventories. This is an important step, but there is still a need for a comprehensive and unified strategy for restoring degraded peatlands that would form part of an EU-wide climate policy. Objectives The overall objective of the LIFE Peat Restore project is to reduce CO2 emissions by restoring degraded peatlands and providing guidelines for decision-makers and conservationists. The project aims to: Restore degraded peatland sites; Measure the change in greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands before and after restoration and model fluxes using the Greenhouse Gas Emission Site

2 Types (GEST) approach; Produce a handbook on how to carry out restoration and best manage the restored peatlands; and Create guidelines with best practice scenarios for peatland use in relation to the EU climate policy and legislation. The restoration of degraded peat deposits will be carried out in five countries in the North European Lowland on the Baltic coast Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The handbook and guidelines will aim to inform the decision-making process of politicians, authorities and conservation managers responsible for the use of peatlands. The project will contribute to climate change mitigation in the project countries as well as to EU climate policy and mitigation-related goals in the area of land use (LULUCF) by providing robust carbon data from peatlands. Finally, the project aims to transfer the experiences gained to other European and non-european countries with similar peatland formations and climate conditions. Expected results: The project expects to achieve the following results: Restoration of a total of ha of degraded peatlands in five EU countries; Restart or increase of the natural processes of peat accumulation in the degraded sites; Demonstration of new approaches and methods for re-vegetation of open water bodies and bare peat in abandoned peat mining areas; Establishment of vital peat-forming vegetation in flooded post-mining peat deposits and bare peat areas in Poland and Lithuania; Monitoring of the success of measures in all types of peatland at project sites by applying GEST as a common methodology for modelling CO2 emissions; Raised awareness of authorities, decision-makers, local people, experts and other relevant stakeholders of the impact on climate through peatland use and degradation; Internationally-applicable guidelines with recommendations and best practise scenarios for inclusion of carbon flux from restored peatlands of the temperate continental climate zone into national climate balances; Improved knowledge of the best practices for restoration via rewetting of different types of peatlands; and An internationally-applicable handbook on the restoration of degraded different mire habitats forming peat and storing carbon within the temperate Continental climate zone. Results

3 Environmental issues addressed: Themes Climate change Mitigation - Carbon sequestration Climate change Mitigation - GHG reduction in non EU ETS sectors Keywords carbon sequestration greenhouse gas accounting land use Target EU Legislation Waste COM(2015)614 - "Closing the loop - An EU action plan for the Circular Economy" ( ) Land & Soil COM(2006)231 - Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection ( ) Climate Change & Energy efficicency COM(2011)112 - "A Roadmap for moving to a competitive low carbon economy in 2050" ( ) Decision 529/ Accounting rules on greenhouse gas emissions and removals resulting from acti... Natura 2000 sites Not applicable Beneficiaries: Coordinator Type of organisation Description Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) e.v. NGO-Foundation Founded in 1899, NABU is the oldest German non-profit nature conservation organisation. It has more than members and supporters, mobilises volunteers in 80 local groups and employs more than 400 staff. NABU is member of the BirdLife International network. Its key activities are lobbying and advocacy at a national level, focusing on Natura 2000 sites, Important Bird and Biodiversity areas (IBAs) and Special Protection Area (SPAs).

4 Partners Tallinn University, Estonia Peat Producers Association, Lithuania E Buvvadiba LTD, Latvia Lithuanian Fund for Nature, Lithuania University of Latvia, Latvia Foundation "ELM MEDIA", Latvia Klub Przyrodników (Naturalists Club Poland), Poland Lake Engure Nature Park Fund, Latvia Administrative data: Project reference LIFE15 CCM/DE/ Duration 01-JUL-2016 to 30-JUN Total budget 6,010, EU contribution 3,549, Brandenburg(Deutschland) Klaipedos apskritis(lithuania Lietuva) Panevezio apskritis(lithuania Lietuva) Telsiu apskritis(lithuania Lietuva) Utenos Project location apskritis(lithuania Lietuva) Vilniaus apskritis(lithuania Lietuva) Kurzeme(Latvia Latvija) Vidzeme(Latvia Latvija) Pomorskie(Poland Polska) Read more: Brochure Leaflet Project web site Publication: Technical report Title: "LIFE Peat Restore: An EU peatland project funded by LIFE Climate Change Mitigation" (1.56 MB) Year: 2018 Editor: NABU No of pages: 6 Title: "Leave Peat in Peatlands: EU climate mitigation project" (1.71 MB) Year: 2018 Editor: NABU-Bundesverband No of pages: 2 Project's website Title: "Sood kliima võtmes = Role of peatlands in climate change mitigation" (2.26 MB) Author: Laimdota Truus, Mati Ilomets, Raimo Pajula,... [e Year: 2018 Editor: Institute of Ecology, TallinnUniversity No of pages: 27

5 Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data Read more