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Transcript of Peatland Stocks and emissions Faizal Parish Global Environment Centre Andrey Sirin, Russian Academy...
Peatland Stocks and emissionsPeatland Stocks and emissions
Faizal ParishFaizal ParishGlobal Environment CentreGlobal Environment Centre
Andrey Sirin, Russian Academy Of Science Andrey Sirin, Russian Academy Of Science Hans Joosten, International Mire Conservation Group Hans Joosten, International Mire Conservation Group
Tatiana Minaeva, Wetlands InternationalTatiana Minaeva, Wetlands InternationalMarcel Silvius, Wetlands InternationalMarcel Silvius, Wetlands International
UNFCCC COP 14 December 2008
Side event 8th December 2008
Integrated Management of Peatlands for Biodiversity and Climate ChangeIntegrated Management of Peatlands for Biodiversity and Climate Change
PresentationPresentation
Peatlands Peatlands Nature and values of peatlandsNature and values of peatlands Peatland emissions and associated Peatland emissions and associated
factorsfactors Reduction of emissionsReduction of emissions
Info Sources Info Sources
Assessment on Peatlands Biodiversity and Assessment on Peatlands Biodiversity and Climate Change (GEC and Wetlands Climate Change (GEC and Wetlands International)International)
Global Database on peatlands (IMCG)Global Database on peatlands (IMCG)
www.wetlands.orgwww.peat-portal.net www.gecnet.infowww.gecnet.info
Peatlands are wetlands where :Peatlands are wetlands where : a) a) waterlogging delays waterlogging delays decaydecay ; b) dead plants form peat Colchis,Georgia
What are peatlandsWhat are peatlands
Lesotho
Peat accumulates for thousands of years storing concentrated Carbon in thick layers
peat from 2 m deep
Covering 4 million km2, primarily in the boreal, subarctic and tropical zones, peatlands are found in almost every country.
Peatlands are everywhere…
… from the tundra …
Yakutia, RF
… to the tropics and …
Borneo
… from the mountains …
Kyrgystan
Over permafrost
NWT, Canada
Under grasslands …
Sichuan, China
… along the rivers …
KyrgystanRuaha River Tanzania
Archangelsk, RF
… to the sea …
Peatlands are water
Flow Country, Scotland
Peatlands regulate climate
CO2 CO2 CH4CH4
N O2УГВ
Pechora, RF
Peatland has high Biodiversity
Peatlands have high ecosystem diversity
Finland
Many indigenous cultures and local communities depend on peatlands.
People in Peat swamp Forest in PahangPeatlands Feed communities
Fishing, Pahang, MalaysiaSource: UNDP-GEF PSF Project
Peatlands support communities
Jelutong - Chewing Gum tree, Indonesia
Peatlands are the most space-effective carbon (C) stocks of all terrestrial ecosystems.
Kyrgystan
Peatlands and carbonPeatlands and carbon
While covering only 3% of the World’s land area, peatlands contain 550 Billion tonnes of carbon in their peat.
This is equivalent to twice the carbon stock in the forest biomass of the world.
This makes peatlands the top long-term carbon stock in the terrestrial biosphere.
Ruoergai China
Peatland drainage and fires are one of the main sources of carbon released to the atmosphere from the land use sector.
Distribution of peatlands Distribution of peatlands
Continents Total area in 106 km2
Continent in % of global land area
Peatlands in km2 % of area of continent
% of global peatland area
Africa 30.37 20.3 58,534 1.9 1.4
Antarctica 13.72 9.2 1 0.0 0.0
Asia 43.81 29.3 1,523,287 3.5 36.7
Australasia (Oceania) 9.01 6.0 8,009 0.1 0.2
Europe 10.40 7.0 514,882 5.0 12.4
North America 24.49 16.4 1,884,493 7.7 45.3
South America 17.84 11.9 166,253 0.9 4.0
Total 149.64 100.0 4,155,459 2.8 100.0
Top 15 countries for Top 15 countries for peatland areapeatland areaCountry Peatland area (km2)
1 Russia 1,390,000
2 Canada 1,177,000
3 USA 625,000
4 Indonesia 270,000
5 Finland 85,000
6 Sweden 66,000
7 Brazil 55,000
8 Peru 50,000
9 Papua New Guinea 28,942
10 Norway 28,000
11 Malaysia 25,000
12 Belarus 23,500
13 United Kingdom 17,500
14 Dem. Republic of the Congo 14,000
15 Uganda 14,000
Peat Peat compared compared to other to other storesstores
The main impacts on peatlands include drainage for agriculture and forestry and associated peat fires, peat extraction, infrastructure and pollution
Drained peat releases carbon
• Drainage to 1 meter = emission of 90 ton CODrainage to 1 meter = emission of 90 ton CO22/ha/yr in /ha/yr in
tropics - 30 ton COtropics - 30 ton CO22/ha/yr in temperate region /ha/yr in temperate region
• SE Asia: Agriculture & agro-forestry on 12 million ha contributes around 600 MtCO2/yr (drainage only)
Relation between CO2 emission and watertable depth
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1average watertable depth (m)
CO
2 em
issi
on
(t /
ha
/ yr
) Tropics
Temperate
Boreal
Source: Alterra
Main regions with peatland Main regions with peatland emisions from drainageemisions from drainage
Burning peat releases more carbonBurning peat releases more carbon
• Tentative average annual emissions estimate: 1400 to 4300 Mt CO2/y
Tentative estimate of CO2 emissions from fires in Indonesia
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006C
em
iss
ion
fro
m p
ea
t fi
res
(CO
2, M
t/y
)
Minimum estimate(1.42 Gt/y average)
Maximum estimate(4.32 Gt/y average)
Emissions from peatlandsEmissions from peatlands globallyglobally
Cause Drained area
CO2
emission
Total CO2
emission
Unit Mio Ha Ton CO2
ha-1 a-1
Mton a-1
Drained peatlands in SE Asia1 12 50 600
Peatland fires in SE Asia1 1,400
Peatland agriculture outside SE Asia 30 25 750
Urbanisation, infrastructure on peatland
5 30 150
Peat extraction 60
Boreal peatland forestry 12 1 12
Temperate/tropical peatland forestry 3.5 30 105
Total 63 3,077
Peatlands in relation to Peatlands in relation to other emissionsother emissions
Peatland global emissions – 3 billion Peatland global emissions – 3 billion tonnes CO2tonnes CO2
Land Use Change 5.3-7 Billion Land Use Change 5.3-7 Billion tonnes tonnes
Peatland emissions are 40% of Peatland emissions are 40% of global land use change emissionsglobal land use change emissions
IssuesIssues
PermanencePermanence Emission trends Emission trends Methane and Nitrous oxideMethane and Nitrous oxide
Peatlands have greater potential for permanence than any other terrestrial ecosystem (All Coal and lignite and part of the oil and gas originated from peat deposits of previous geological periods).
Future trends in Future trends in emissionsemissions
Water levels and methane Water levels and methane emissions in temperate emissions in temperate
peatlands per yearpeatlands per year
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60
mean water level [cm]
kg C
H4∙
ha
-1∙a
-1
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
t C
O2-
eq∙h
a-1
∙a-1
bogs
fens
other
Water levels and methane Water levels and methane emissions in tropical emissions in tropical peatlands per hourpeatlands per hour
-0,5
0,0
0,5
1,0
1,5
2,0
2,5
3,0
-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20
water level [cm]
CH
4 em
issi
on [m
g m
-2 h
-1]
agriculture: open
agriculture: treed
forest
Water levels and nitrous Water levels and nitrous oxide emissions in tropical oxide emissions in tropical
peatlands per hourpeatlands per hour
-0,1
0
0,1
0,2
0,3
0,4
0,5
0,6
0,7
-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10
water level [cm]
N2 O
em
issi
on
[mg
m-2
h-1
]
agriculture, open
forest
Emission reductionEmission reduction Stopping or controlling drainage and fire are the most Stopping or controlling drainage and fire are the most
important and cost effective measures to reduce important and cost effective measures to reduce peatland emissions.peatland emissions.
Increasing water levels in peatlands decreases Carbon Increasing water levels in peatlands decreases Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions but may increases dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions but may increases methane only in non-forested peatlands. The result is a methane only in non-forested peatlands. The result is a net reduction in GHG emission. net reduction in GHG emission.
Pilot emission reduction projects have demonstrated Pilot emission reduction projects have demonstrated that rapid reductions in emission can be achieved that rapid reductions in emission can be achieved within months or at most a few years after the within months or at most a few years after the management interventions.management interventions.
Large scale emission reductions are possible at Large scale emission reductions are possible at relatively low cost of $1-5/tonne of Carbon dioxide.relatively low cost of $1-5/tonne of Carbon dioxide.
Emission reductions often have more permanence and Emission reductions often have more permanence and less leakage that other land use emission reduction less leakage that other land use emission reduction options.options.
Rehabilitation of Rehabilitation of Degraded Degraded peatlands peatlands through blocking through blocking abandoned abandoned drainagedrainage
Thailand – Peat ReforestationThailand – Peat Reforestation
ConclusionsConclusions Peatlands are the most important terrestrial carbon Peatlands are the most important terrestrial carbon
store.store. Peatland drainage and fire releases about 3 billion Peatland drainage and fire releases about 3 billion
tonnes of Carbon dioxide per year – equivalent to tonnes of Carbon dioxide per year – equivalent to about 40% of total emissions from land use change – about 40% of total emissions from land use change – equal to all emissions from deforestation – but on only equal to all emissions from deforestation – but on only 3% of the land area.3% of the land area.
Peatland stocks naturally have a long permanence, but Peatland stocks naturally have a long permanence, but after degradation can generate long term emissions.after degradation can generate long term emissions.
Drainage may reduce methane emissions in some Drainage may reduce methane emissions in some peatlands but increases nitrous oxide emissions.peatlands but increases nitrous oxide emissions.
Control of peatland emissions is arguably more Control of peatland emissions is arguably more strategic that control of all other land use change and strategic that control of all other land use change and land use emissions land use emissions
Thank you