The world’s peatlands are “dangerously under-protected”, warns a new study, despite their critical role in storing vast amounts of carbon and the alarming levels of climate-heating carbon dioxide already being released due to their destruction.
“They currently emit about 1.5 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. That’s about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions from all sources – fossil fuel burning, deforestation, everything… It’s actually quite large on such a small area of land,” said Dr. Kemen Austin, the Director of Science at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Forests and Climate Change Programme and lead author of the study.
“If we don’t protect them, that number could grow unchecked. Protecting peatlands is a “win-win-win” solution. It helps mitigate climate change, supports biodiversity, and advances sustainable development goals.”
“Peatlands store more carbon in their soils than all the world’s forest biomass combined,” she said. “They cover just 3% of global land area, but the density of carbon in these ecosystems is enormous. When we say they’re “dangerously under-protected,” we mean that threats like agricultural expansion, oil and gas mining, and infrastructure development could release carbon that’s been stored for hundreds of thousands of years. We need to do more to ensure that the carbon stored in peatlands – this 3% of global land area – is protected and conserved,” said Dr. Austin.
“The timing of this study is critical.”
“Peatlands are so important for people all around the world. They store this enormous quantity of carbon that we mentioned in the study. They store vast quantities of carbon, hold 10% of the world’s freshwater, and act like natural sponges, absorbing water during heavy rains and releasing it slowly during dry periods,” said Dr. Austin. This unique function makes them critical for mitigating floods and droughts. Beyond their environmental benefits, peatlands also support fisheries, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of communities worldwide. However, despite their significance, there has been limited understanding of how well they are being conserved and managed.
Dr. Austin said that while peatlands are known to be important, there was a lack of understanding regarding how they are being managed in terms of conservation, which led to the decision to conduct the study.
“Countries should consider peatlands as a key part of their strategies.”
“Why now? she said. “We’ve known this for a long time. 2025 is a really important year for key international policy frameworks that can influence global peatland conservation trajectory.”
She said that countries involved in the Paris Agreement are currently submitting new climate targets and strategies, with more expected to do so in the coming months. The countries are revising their national adaptation plans and, under the global biodiversity framework, working on national biodiversity strategies and action plans.
“This is a chance for countries to recognize how valuable those ecosystems are and set targets that increase conservation for peatlands,” she said. “After setting high-level commitments, many countries will need to follow through with action on the ground, whether that’s legislation, regulations, or other measures. It’s also crucial that finance is provided to support the translation of those commitments into real action.”
Peatlands in peril
Dr. Austin said that the study’s key finding revealed that only about 17% of peatlands are currently within protected areas. This figure was “surprisingly low”, especially when compared to other high-value ecosystems like mangrove forests, tropical forests, and salt marshes, where 40-50% are typically protected. She said that expanding protection could involve not only formal protected areas but also other effective conservation measures, such as recognizing Indigenous and traditional territories.
“We found that more than a quarter of peatlands overlap with Indigenous peoples’ lands,” she said. “There’s a lot of research showing that Indigenous land rights and community-led management lead to important environmental and social outcomes, like reduced deforestation and increased biodiversity. Peatlands within Indigenous lands may already benefit from these management practices.”
The study found that over a quarter of peatlands overlap with Indigenous peoples’ lands, based on a map from the United Nations Environment Program. While the map is not perfect, she said, it suggests that Indigenous communities are already playing a significant role in stewarding these ecosystems.
“Our study points to a large opportunity to recognize local authority, strengthen community management institutions, and advance local participation in peatland governance,” says Dr. Austin. “This could be a powerful tool for scaling peatland conservation globally.”
Racing against time
The study found that Canada, Russia, Indonesia, the U.S., Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, China, Peru, Finland, and the Republic of the Congo had the most peatlands. 80% of the world’s peatlands are located in these 10 countries. The study identified the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo-Brazzaville, South Sudan, and Papua New Guinea as having significant peatlands.
“The Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo have an enormous peatland complex in the Cuvette Centrale that’s been documented and studied,” said Dr. Austin. “It stores an enormous amount of carbon and has incredible biodiversity. Communities living in and around the peatland area rely heavily on its provisioning and regulating services, like fisheries.”
Dr. Austin said that peatlands in the Congo region remain relatively intact compared to those in temperate zones.
“About 60% of peatlands in temperate regions, like Europe and the US, have already been degraded,” said Dr. Austin. “In the tropics, that number is lower – around 40% – and much lower in the Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo. These peatlands are relatively high-integrity and very intact, particularly on the western side of the Congo. But they are under threat from oil and gas exploration, mining, and agricultural expansion.”
“Oil and gas exploration permits cover most of the peatland in the Cuvette Centrale,” she said. “Other threats, like mining and the expansion of plantation agriculture, are also growing in the Central Africa region.”
“Finding that balance is one of the biggest challenges we face.”
Dr. Austin said that the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is working in the Lake Tele Community Reserve to develop a model for peatland conservation by assisting 27 villages in creating resource management plans that balance community needs with environmental sustainability. “These plans aim to meet community needs while also achieving positive environmental outcomes. But it’s very challenging – in every context around the world, we see strong conflicts between the desire for development and the need for environmental conservation,” she said.
“We’re trying to show how communities can lead the way in conservation,” she said. “But it’s not easy. Everywhere we look, there’s a tension between development and protecting the environment. Finding that balance is one of the biggest challenges we face.”
Dr. Austin said that, in addition to global threats like agricultural expansion, oil and gas exploration, and mining, peatlands in Africa face unique challenges from climate change itself. Rising temperatures and more variable precipitation patterns can destabilize peatland ecosystems, which rely heavily on stable hydrological conditions. Droughts, for example, can dry out peatlands, making them more susceptible to fires and further degradation. These climate-driven threats are particularly concerning in Africa, where peatlands play a critical role in water regulation and carbon storage.
She also reflected on why peatlands are often overlooked compared to other ecosystems like forests. She said that peatlands are frequently perceived as unproductive, remote, or inhospitable due to their waterlogged nature, which makes them difficult to access and use for traditional activities like agriculture. This perception has led to their underappreciation and lack of conservation attention. However, she remains optimistic.
“But I’m optimistic that as we grow our appreciation for their incredible ecological value – like storing carbon, regulating water, and supporting biodiversity – we’ll start to prioritize their conservation more effectively.”
She said that ecosystems have been historically overlooked, which has led to gaps in research and conservation efforts.
“Maybe because these areas have been underappreciated, they haven’t received as much conservation attention as they deserve. They also haven’t received as much research attention as they need to better understand where peatlands are, what communities rely on peatlands and for what purposes, how valuable they are to local communities and global society,” said Dr. Austin.
Peatlands are also critical to achieving global climate goals, such as limiting warming to 1.5°C.
“We are close to 1.5°C of warming, and every fraction of a degree matters,” she said. “Peatlands are a significant source of global greenhouse gas emissions, so addressing these emissions is critical. We need effective, equitable, and durable conservation solutions – whether that’s through protected areas, empowering Indigenous communities, or implementing legislation to conserve peatlands.”
Dr. Austin expresses her hope that studies like this one will bring greater attention to peatlands.
“My desire is that this study and others like it elevate peatlands in policy conversations around conservation, climate adaptation, and biodiversity,” she said. “I hope this leads to improved programs and policies on the ground that benefit people all around the world.”
