Experts claim that one of Scotland’s most potent tools for combating climate change, peatland restoration, is not receiving the recognition it deserves.

Restoring degraded peatlands could significantly cut Scotland’s emissions, nearly matching the impact of decarbonising the entire housing stock.

However, the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a leading climate advisory body for large corporations, does not currently recognise peatland restoration as a legitimate method for offsetting greenhouse gas emissions.

A coalition of companies and charities has addressed this issue in a letter to SBTi, arguing that this oversight is impeding private financial investment in peatland restoration.

While SBTi encourages companies to invest in such projects in addition to reducing their emissions, the coalition contends that the lack of formal recognition hinders the flow of necessary funds.

Scotland’s peatlands, ancient ecosystems formed by layers of moss and vegetation submerged in water, prevent the decomposition of organic material, effectively trapping carbon.

When these peatlands are degraded—often due to drainage for agriculture or forestry—they dry out, releasing stored carbon dioxide and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

Scotland’s upland regions, including the Flow Country, host the majority of the UK’s peatlands, which constitute at least 20% of Scotland’s landmass. Unfortunately, most of these peatlands are in poor condition, releasing over six million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, comparable to emissions from home heating, which accounts for 15% of Scotland’s overall emissions.

The Scottish government committed in 2020 to restore 250,000 hectares of peatland by 2030, but progress has been slow, with only about 18,500 hectares restored in the first three years.

Offsetting emissions through carbon credits, primarily achieved through tree planting, allows companies to mitigate their greenhouse gas outputs. However, many environmentalists worry this permits continued pollution.

Policymakers, including the Climate Change Committee, maintain that high-integrity carbon credits can support the transition to net-zero by mid-century. They acknowledge that public funding alone is insufficient for peatland conservation, necessitating private investment.

Freddie Ingleby from Caledonian Climate Partners, which aids estates in peatland restoration, criticises the current system’s emphasis on tree planting and future carbon removal technologies.

He said: “What we would like SBTi to do is to allow emission reduction carbon credits from peatland projects to be included in businesses’ net zero targets setting standard which it’s not allowed to do today.”

SBTi collaborates with around 5,000 businesses worldwide, including major corporations like Tesco, Kellogg’s, and the BBC, guiding them to reduce emissions and purchase carbon credits to offset residual emissions, predominantly through tree planting.

The coalition’s letter, endorsed by several SBTi-affiliated companies and charitable organisations, argues that SBTi’s stance on peatland restoration restricts global efforts and sends a misleading message to investors. They urge SBTi to recognise peatland restoration as a valid method for offsetting unavoidable emissions.

Among the signatories is the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) UK Peatland Programme.

Dr. Renée Kerkvliet-Hermans, the programme’s peatland code manager, emphasises the crucial role of peatland restoration in addressing climate change, noting that 80% of the UK’s peatlands are degraded and emit more carbon annually than all UK forests can absorb.

“We are seeing active sales falling through or companies not even wanting to look at peatland carbon credits because of SBTi,” she said.

In response, SBTi clarifies that their primary objective is to encourage companies to prioritise reducing and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions before considering methods to counterbalance residual emissions.

It said: “We also strongly encourage and enable companies to restore natural ecosystems, including peatlands.”

It added that “this must be in addition to and not instead of” measures which prevent peatlands being damaged in the first place.

 

 

——————————————————————————

At Natural World Fund, we are passionate about restoring habitats in the UK to halt the decline in our wildlife.

 

Donate now and join in the solution!