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The underappreciated potential of peatlands in global climate change mitigation strategies

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  • J. Leifeld

    (Agroscope, Climate and Agriculture Group)

  • L. Menichetti

    (Agroscope, Climate and Agriculture Group
    Now Ecology, SLU (Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet))

Abstract

Soil carbon sequestration and avoidable emissions through peatland restoration are both strategies to tackle climate change. Here we compare their potential and environmental costs regarding nitrogen and land demand. In the event that no further areas are exploited, drained peatlands will cumulatively release 80.8 Gt carbon and 2.3 Gt nitrogen. This corresponds to a contemporary annual greenhouse gas emission of 1.91 (0.31–3.38) Gt CO2-eq. that could be saved with peatland restoration. Soil carbon sequestration on all agricultural land has comparable mitigation potential. However, additional nitrogen is needed to build up a similar carbon pool in organic matter of mineral soils, equivalent to 30–80% of the global fertilizer nitrogen application annually. Restoring peatlands is 3.4 times less nitrogen costly and involves a much smaller land area demand than mineral soil carbon sequestration, calling for a stronger consideration of peatland rehabilitation as a mitigation measure.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Leifeld & L. Menichetti, 2018. "The underappreciated potential of peatlands in global climate change mitigation strategies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-03406-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03406-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Andrey Sirin & Maria Medvedeva & Vladimir Korotkov & Victor Itkin & Tatiana Minayeva & Danil Ilyasov & Gennady Suvorov & Hans Joosten, 2021. "Addressing Peatland Rewetting in Russian Federation Climate Reporting," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.
    2. Michelle Ann Miller & Prayoto Tonoto & David Taylor, 2022. "Sustainable development of carbon sinks? Lessons from three types of peatland partnerships in Indonesia," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 241-255, February.
    3. Elena A. Mikhailova & Hamdi A. Zurqani & Christopher J. Post & Mark A. Schlautman & Gregory C. Post, 2021. "Soil Diversity (Pedodiversity) and Ecosystem Services," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-34, March.
    4. Willenbockel, Dirk, 2024. "Peatland restoration in Germany: A dynamic general equilibrium analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    5. Xuting Yang & Wanqiang Yao & Pengfei Li & Jinfei Hu & Hooman Latifi & Li Kang & Ningjing Wang & Dingming Zhang, 2022. "Changes of SOC Content in China’s Shendong Coal Mining Area during 1990–2020 Investigated Using Remote Sensing Techniques," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-21, June.
    6. Kate Dooley & Ellycia Harrould‐Kolieb & Anita Talberg, 2021. "Carbon‐dioxide Removal and Biodiversity: A Threat Identification Framework," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S1), pages 34-44, April.
    7. Sari, Dwi Amalia & Margules, Chris & Lim, Han She & Widyatmaka, Febrio & Sayer, Jeffrey & Dale, Allan & Macgregor, Colin, 2021. "Evaluating policy coherence: A case study of peatland forests on the Kampar Peninsula landscape, Indonesia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    8. Angela Maria D’Uggento & Alfonso Piscitelli & Nunziata Ribecco & Germana Scepi, 2023. "Perceived climate change risk and global green activism among young people," Statistical Methods & Applications, Springer;Società Italiana di Statistica, vol. 32(4), pages 1167-1195, October.
    9. Rhymes, Jennifer M. & Arnott, David & Chadwick, David R. & Evans, Christopher D. & Jones, David L., 2023. "Assessing the effectiveness, practicality and cost effectiveness of mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from intensively cultivated peatlands," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    10. Tiehu He & Weixin Ding & Xiaoli Cheng & Yanjiang Cai & Yulong Zhang & Huijuan Xia & Xia Wang & Jiehao Zhang & Kerong Zhang & Quanfa Zhang, 2024. "Meta-analysis shows the impacts of ecological restoration on greenhouse gas emissions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    11. Michael Manton & Evaldas Makrickas & Piotr Banaszuk & Aleksander Kołos & Andrzej Kamocki & Mateusz Grygoruk & Marta Stachowicz & Leonas Jarašius & Nerijus Zableckis & Jūratė Sendžikaitė & Jan Peters &, 2021. "Assessment and Spatial Planning for Peatland Conservation and Restoration: Europe’s Trans-Border Neman River Basin as a Case Study," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-27, February.
    12. Martin-Ortega, Julia & Young, Dylan M. & Glenk, Klaus & Baird, Andy J. & Jones, Laurence & Rowe, Edwin C. & Evans, Chris D. & Dallimer, Martin & Reed, Mark S., 2021. "Linking ecosystem changes to their social outcomes: Lost in translation," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    13. Edward B. Barbier, 2022. "The Policy Implications of the Dasgupta Review: Land Use Change and Biodiversity," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 83(4), pages 911-935, December.
    14. Ignacio Perez Dominguez & Thomas Fellmann & Peter Witzke & Franz Weiss & Jordan Hristov & Mihaly Himics & Jesus Barreiro-Hurle & Manuel Gomez Barbero & Adrian Leip, 2020. "Economic assessment of GHG mitigation policy options for EU agriculture: A closer look at mitigation options and regional mitigation costs (EcAMPA 3)," JRC Research Reports JRC120355, Joint Research Centre.
    15. Sommer, Pia & Frank, Leonard, 2024. "Peatland rewetting as drainage exnovation – A transition governance perspective," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    16. Chris D. Evans & Rebecca L. Rowe & Benjamin W. J. Freeman & Jennifer M. Rhymes & Alex Cumming & Isobel L. Lloyd & Daniel Morton & Jennifer L. Williamson & Ross Morrison, 2024. "Biomethane produced from maize grown on peat emits more CO2 than natural gas," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 14(10), pages 1030-1032, October.

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