Peat fires could accelerate climate change

Vancouver BC (SPX) Feb 21, 2012 In 1997, a forest fire in Indonesia ignited an area of peatlands that smouldered for months. By the time it was over, the fire had released greenhouse gases equal to 20 to 40 percent of the total worldwide emissions that year from fossil fuels. But that could be a drop in the bucket compared to future emissions from peat fires. Indonesian peatlands are dwarfed by Canada's. The total area of all peatland in Canada is estimated to be about twice the size of Saskatchewan.
> www.terradaily.com: Peat fires could accelerate climate change

Russia’s fires: worsened by peatland drainage
Wageningen, August 4, 2010 - The disastrous forest fires that are currently raging in Russia have led to significant fires in the drained and degraded peatlands. These occur close to Moscow and densely populated areas in Central European Russia. They are causing huge air pollution problems as well as direct risks for the people in the region.
> www.wetlands.org: Russia’s fires: worsened by peatland drainage

EU policy prevents wetland loss for biofuels
Brussels, 12 June 2010 - After a long process since the adoption of the Renewable Energy Directive, the European Commission has now made clear that biofuels produced or imported to the EU cannot be produced at the cost of wetlands, peatlands or forests.
Areas that were in 2008 still forests or wetlands cannot be used for the production of biofuels. Any fuels from these areas will not count for the EU biofuel target and will not get any subsidies or other support. Peatlands (wetland areas with water logged, carbon rich organic soils) can only be used to produce biofuels if there is no drainage needed. Palm oil plantations will not be seen as forests.
These are major elements of the Communication of the European Commission, a document explaining how the often unclear Renewable Energy Directive needs to be implemented. Although there are still some environmental issues to improve, the EU communication regarding biofuels is a great step for preventing wetland loss.
> europa.eu: Commission sets up system for certifying sustainable biofuels
> www.wetlands.org: EU policy prevents wetland loss for biofuels

Peat belongs here – not in the garden

March 26, 2009 - Ninety four per cent of Britain's lowland raised bogs have been severely damaged, writes Geoffrey Lean.
> www.telegraph.co.uk: Peat belongs here – not in the garden

Peatland loss: a burning issue at Bangkok Climate Summit

September 30, 2009 - While fires rage through the drained and logged peatswamp forests of Indonesia emitting huge amounts of CO2, the UN Climate Talks take place in Bangkok. The coming two weeks country negotiators will work towards a framework for a new climate treaty. This issue of greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands is now explicitly on the agenda of these crucial last negotiation rounds before the Copenhagen Summit.
www.wetlands.org: Global Warming Predicted To Hasten Carbon Release From Peat Bogs

Global Warming Predicted To Hasten Carbon Release From Peat Bogs
November 10, 2008 - Billions of tons of carbon sequestered in the world's peat bogs could be released into the atmosphere in the coming decades as a result of global warming, according to a new analysis of the interplay between peat bogs, water tables, and climate change.
www.sciencedaily.com: Global Warming Predicted To Hasten Carbon Release From Peat Bogs

Warmer Climate to Dry Up Peatlands - Study
Hong Kong, October 13 2008 - Warmer temperatures in the years ahead will dry up peatlands, release more carbon dioxide into the world's atmosphere and aggravate global warming, a study in Japan has found.
www.planetark.com: Warmer Climate to Dry Up Peatlands

Flooding might help lower gas emission from wetlands
Columbus (Ohio/US), 23 September 2008 - River floods and storms that send water surging through swamps and marshes near rivers and coastal areas might cut in half the average greenhouse gas emissions from those affected wetlands, according to recent research at Ohio State University.
researchnews.osu.edu: Flooding might help lower gas emission from wetlands

UK think tank: Preventing peatland loss is cheapest climate measure
London, August 28 2008 - The UK think thank Policy Exchange has presented the costs of the most important climate measures. Reducing emissions from tropical peatlands is by far the cheapest way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions; using biofuels is by far the most expensive measure.
www.wetlands.org: Preventing peatland loss is cheapest climate measure

Destruction of Wetlands Could Unleash Carbon Bomb
Washington, July 24, 2008 - The world's wetlands, threatened by development, dehydration and climate change, could release a planet-warming "carbon bomb" if they are destroyed, ecological scientists said on Sunday.
www.enn.com: Destruction of Wetlands Could Unleash Carbon Bomb

Shocking decision of Kenya to convert precious wetland
Wageningen, June 25 2008 - Wetlands International is shocked by the decision of the Kenyan government to convert large tracts of the Tana wetlands in Kenya into sugarcane-for-ethanol plantations. This dramatic development confirms the NGO’s recent outlook ‘Biofuels in Africa’, which shows that biofuel production in Africa will lead to loss of wetlands and rainforest.
www.wetlands.org: Shocking decision of Kenya to convert precious wetland

Methane rise points to wetlands
London, May 23, 2008 - Higher atmospheric levels of the greenhouse gas methane noted last year are probably related to emissions from wetlands, especially around the Arctic.
Scientists have found indications that extra amounts of the gas in the Arctic region are of biological origin.
www.bbc.co.uk: Methane rise points to wetlands
CO2, methane up sharply in 2007 (23-04)
A Storehouse of Greenhouse Gases Is Opening in Siberia (17-04)

Extreme levels of SE Asian haze from peat-fires expected
Putra Yaya (Ma), April 10, 2008 - Wetlands International is concerned with the recent warning issued by the South-east Asian 'Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution' that the haze this year will be worse than 2006. The governments of the region should prevent the human induced peatland fires that cause the haze.
www.wetlands.org: Extreme levels of SE Asian haze from peat-fires expected
www.nst.com.my: Haze will be 'worse than in 2006'