Capturing transitional changes in GHG fluxes following peat restoration

There is approximately 1,420,000 hectares of peat in England, with deep peat accounting for approximately 680,000 hectares. However, the majority of our deep peat is degraded, damaged and dried out, with only 13% of deep peat remaining in a near natural state. As a result, peatlands in England emit approximately 8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, about 2% of England's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

There is an urgent need to re-wet peatlands to abate these GHG emissions to meet our net zero targets. In Carbon Budget 7, the Climate Change Committee recommends that by 2040, peatland restoration should represent over 50% of the emissions savings in land use, and 17% of the savings in the agriculture and land use sector. Peatland restoration targets have been set in the 2023 Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), with an aim to restore 280,000 hectares by 2050.

When peat is restored or re-wet, it moves fro