Peatlands in the Nordic Baltics and climate change

Regional Assessment of emission proportionsBy Lars Dinesen, Danish Nature Agency, Chair NorBalWetUNFCCC COP21 in Paris 2 December 2015

Peatlands and Climate- A Nordic Baltic Perspective

A project funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and prepared by Greifswald University and Risager C.

Outcome a status report on a country assessment of peatlands area and CO2 emissions from drained peatlands based on GIS analysis - ”a second opinion”

Download report and policy brief - Nordic Council of Ministers - NorBalWet website Barthelmes et al. 2015

Drainage and use during centuries

 

- In Nordic Baltic countries 44% of the peatlands are drained- Responsible for c. 25 % of the anthropogenic CO2 emission- c. 6% of global peatland CO2-emissions and 0,2% global CO2.

  Peatland / organic soil (km2)  a) total b) drained b/a %Estonia 9,150 6,619 72.3Latvia 11,143 7,978 71,6Lithuania 6,460 4,679 72,4Finland 83,198 64,931 78,0Sweden 85.023 15,458 18,2Norway 46.211 4,348 9,4Iceland 5.777 3,665 63,4Denmark 1,428 1,365 93,2Greenland 75 3 4,0Total 249,066 109,573 44.0

Emissions from drained peatlands…

Iceland, Hans Joosten

  Total CO2 emissions*

Total peatland CO2 emissions

  Mt CO2 yr-1 Mt CO2 yr-

1%

Estonia 17.08 8.04 47.1Latvia 7.43 13.53 182.0Lithuania 14.84 7.70 51.9Finland 50.70 20.68 40.8Sweden 45.71 10.58 23.1Norway 52.70 6.26 11.9Iceland 3.32 7.66 230.4Denmark 38.03 3.34 8.8Greenland 0.60 0.00 0.3Total 230.42 77.79 33.8*without LULUCF

From drainage and excavation to restoration rewetting

Conclusion:Large CO2 emissions from drained peatlandsLarge scale restoration is now taking placeOriginally for biodiversity conservationMitigation of climate change