CARE-PEAT: Reducing carbon emissions from peatlands: an integrated approach

The degrading of many peatlands in the Northern Hemisphere is changing their natural functioning, transforming these carbon sinks into carbon sources. Annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained organic soils in North-west Europe (NWE) account for  about 150 MT/year. However, these estimates of GHG emissions from degraded peatlands have not been made correctly and there is a lack of strategies/methods for controlling their degradation and promoting their restoration.

Aims of the CARE-PEAT project and expected results

The CARE-PEAT (Carbone loss REduction in PEATlands: an integrated approach) project aims to develop innovative restoration technologies and appropriate partnerships between nature organisations and owners of pilot sites to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the NWE. The tested and validated methods will be transferred to partners managing other sites in these same regions to target appropriate measures for managing biodiversity and reducing carbon emissions.

During this project, 5 research institutes from 3 countries will develop and test new techniques at 5 pilot sites to improve the assessment of carbon emissions and target the carbon reduction potential in these regions. The project includes innovative companies in the restoration field and a partnership with local/regional players to increase the impact of the pilot projects and optimise the socio-economic benefits.

The BRGM's role

BRGM is involved in all the technical tasks of the project, in particular the modelling of greenhouse gas (CO2 and CH4) exchanges at the interface between peatlands and the atmosphere. This is a cross-cutting role since it consists in simulating these gas exchanges and predicting the carbon budgets of all the 5 pilot sites of the project. BRGM will work closely with all the bodies and institutes in charge of in-situ flow measurements at each of the sites.  

Project partners

• Belgium: Natuurpunt (project leader)
• France: BRGM, Université d’Orléans, CNRS
• Netherlands: Vereniging Natuurmonumenten, Eurosite
• United Kingdom: Lancashire Wildlife Trust , Manchester Metropolitan University
• Ireland: National University of Ireland Galway