Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Harry Cockburn

World’s ‘vital’ peatlands could shift from being key carbon sink to major source of greenhouse gas

Photograph: Getty
P

eat is an enchanting substance. Earthy, mossy, and almost oily, it is a rich accumulation of living, dying and dead plant matter, and is the most efficient carbon sink on the planet.

Known as the “forgotten fossil fuel”, peat takes thousands of years to form in substantial quantities, and though peat bogs cover just 3 per cent of the surface of the earth, they store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined, holding one-third of the Earth’s soil carbon.

For this reason, researchers have warned the preservation of peat is “vital” in the battle against the worsening climate crisis and global environmental breakdown.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.