A groundbreaking study published in “Nature Communications” has revealed a significant discrepancy between reported emissions and the actual carbon footprint of drained peatlands across the European Union, raising serious questions about the accuracy of national climate reporting mechanisms and the effectiveness of current mitigation strategies. Researchers at the University of Greifswald estimate that EU nations’ drained peatlands release approximately 232 megatons of CO2 equivalent annually – nearly double the emissions figures currently submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The magnitude of this unreported emission source is startling, roughly equivalent to the annual CO2 output of the entire European aviation sector. The findings underscore a critical blind spot in the EU’s climate accounting, potentially undermining the credibility of its commitment to achieving net-zero targets.
The study’s accompanying “hotspot map” highlights regions where peatland emissions are most concentrated, identifying areas offering the greatest potential for successful renaturation efforts. These critical zones include the North Sea region (Northwest Germany, the Netherlands, Southeast England), Eastern Germany, the Baltic states and East Poland, as well as Ireland and Northern Ireland. These areas collectively contribute approximately 40% of the EU’s total peatland emissions.
Intensive agricultural practices are a key driver of the problem, particularly in the North Sea region, where extensively drained coastal peatlands, coupled with intensive farming, generate a disproportionate impact – approximately 20% of the EU’s entire peatland emissions from just 4% of the European peatland area. Eastern Germany also emerges as a substantial hotspot, attributed to the large-scale and deep drainage of extensive, low-lying peatlands for agriculture.
The researchers argue that the identified hotspots offer the most viable locations for targeted and effective climate protection measures. However, the study’s implications extend beyond localized intervention. The significant underreporting of emissions raises fundamental concerns about the transparency and rigor of national climate inventories. The discrepancy necessitates a thorough review of methodology and reporting protocols to ensure accurate accounting of greenhouse gas emissions and demands urgent action to prioritize the renaturation of degraded peatlands across the EU. Failure to address this issue, experts warn, will significantly hinder the EU’s ability to meet its climate obligations and transition towards a truly sustainable future.