Peatlands Future: Carbon Farming & Conservation

Peatlands are essential for achieving European climate, biodiversity and water protection goals, yet they are still undervalued in Central and Eastern Europe. Almost 50 percent of Europe’s existing peatlands are currently degraded, releasing significant greenhouse gases. European directives and strategies — including the Nature Directives, the Land Use Change and Forestry Regulation, the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the EU Water Resilience Strategy, the Nature Restoration Regulation and the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Certification Regulation — highlight peatlands as key ecosystems for climate mitigation and adaptation. However, in Central and Eastern Europe, dedicated peatland strategies are rare, long-term funding is lacking, and landowners have limited incentives to restore peat soils. This project strengthens knowledge, builds national strategies and prepares countries for the implementation of the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Certification Regulation.

The project strengthens cooperation among politicians, landowners and non-governmental organisations in Central and Eastern Europe to promote the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of peatlands. The team supports governments in developing national peatland strategies with knowledge, data, and maps and provides scientific and technical expertise for implementing the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Certification Regulation. Together with authorities, landowners, scientists and civil society, the project identifies practical solutions and tests them locally in Bulgaria, Slovakia and Slovenia. These pilot activities help refine methodologies on carbon removal, paludiculture and peatland greenhouse gas reductions. Through workshops, webinars, and policy dialogues, the project builds capacity and improves understanding of peatland management. The team promotes knowledge exchange between Central and Eastern Europe and Northwestern Europe, draws on existing databases and networks and strengthens the emerging European Peatlands Initiative. By improving cooperation and providing clear guidance, the project enables countries to scale up peatland conservation and restoration and unlock private and public funding for long-term action.