Peatlands, which include bogs and reed beds, are rare and unique wetland ecosystems that store large amounts of carbon in the form of peat (partially decomposed plant material). They cover only just under 4% of the planet's surface, yet they are especially important for carbon sequestration and hold up to a third of the world's soil carbon. That is twice the amount of carbon stored in forest ecosystems. Bogs deliver a range of additional benefits and ecosystem services. They play an essential role in the water cycle, storing and filtering water, slowing peak flows and reducing the impact of floods. They also matter for biodiversity and provide a habitat for many plant and animal species.

Peatlands are found in almost every EU Member State, with the greatest concentration in the north-western, Nordic and Eastern European countries. More than 50% of these peatlands are degraded as a result of agriculture, forestry and peat extraction. This degradation causes a range of ecological problems, including

• loss of biodiversity
• soil subsidence
• an increased risk of peat fires
• saltwater intrusion in coastal zones
• a greater likelihood of disasters such as flooding.

The degradation of peatlands releases enormous amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing significantly to climate change.

It should be stressed that the European Union is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained peatlands, producing 230 Mt CO₂ equivalent per year, or 15% of total peatland emissions worldwide.

Peatland restoration in Latvia

Restoring peatlands is vitally important. This is reflected in the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, notes Inga Retiķe, senior researcher at the University of Latvia and a partner in the Interreg Europe RIWET project; the regulation aims to restore the water balance of 15% of peat bog areas. "Given the importance of peat bogs, restoring them is essential if we are to meet a number of EU objectives, including climate neutrality and biodiversity targets, as well as the goals of the Water Framework Directive," says I. Retiķe.

Restored areas act as water buffers, offering added benefits such as protection against floods and droughts. "Estimates show that the benefits of bog restoration are far greater than the costs, which have been calculated at roughly 146 to 3,140 euros per hectare per year, thanks to carbon sequestration and ecosystem services," explains I. Retiķe.

According to Inga Retiķe, restoring degraded peat bogs has two main components: "Restoring natural conditions by planting native plant species and removing drainage." By blocking the drainage ditches that were built to carry water away from the bog, the groundwater level can rise again. It is equally important to restore the natural flow of water through the bog ecosystem.

In Latvia, peatlands cover around 12% of the territory. Peat is one of the country's main natural resources; 39,500 hectares of peatland are degraded and in need of restoration. To meet demand for growing media, 4% of Latvia's peatlands are used for peat extraction.

"There is a significant conflict of interest, because peat extraction provides many jobs but at the same time runs directly counter to some national and EU nature restoration and climate targets," says Inga Retiķe

Latvia's approach is to restore peat bogs and promote paludiculture. This will be a set of measures that not only avoids hindering restoration efforts but also delivers economic benefits, including for local communities.

Latvian research institutions and NGOs have worked together to jointly develop and test the most suitable paludiculture practices for degraded peat bogs. In addition to growing sphagnum moss and restoring peat bog habitats to boost biodiversity and support native species, rewetted areas can be used for berry growing (for example cranberries, lingonberries and blueberries), as bee forage, and for cultivating medicinal plants (such as bogbean). Another option is to combine wetland farming with solar energy generation.

Peatlands are mostly state-owned, but are often leased to private operators. In the past these also included foreign companies that simply "dug up the land and left."

"The problem is that foreign companies have used the land and taken all the economic benefits out of the country, and now local authorities are left with degraded land and have taken on responsibility for restoring and rewetting the bogs, yet no state funding is available to them," is how Inga Retiķe explains Latvia's difficult situation. National rules have now been adopted requiring land users to restore the land, but oversight of the process still needs improvement.

When restoration work began, there was a lack of knowledge, experience and exchange between stakeholders, as well as a lack of trust that arose after the first unsuccessful restoration experiments. "We started taking stakeholders on study visits abroad, where they can see that the method works and has been working for years," says researcher I. Retiķe.

Protecting and restoring peatlands is vitally important. EU regions should tighten their rules in order to prevent or halt damaging activities, such as draining peatlands for agriculture and forestry, or losing peatlands to other uses (for example the extraction of minerals, oil and peat). Regions can launch medium-term plans to phase out damaging activities that are already under way, and set licence conditions that require more sustainable practices and impose peat bog restoration obligations during the transition period. It is important to ensure that companies using peat bogs set aside a dedicated budget for restoration once extraction has finished.

Latvia's example shows that sustainable peat bog management is possible, combining restoration with economic benefits.

* Inga Retiķe – researcher at the Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences of the University of Latvia, hydrogeology expert and project manager at the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, and holder of a master's degree in environmental science. I. Retiķe is a doctoral student in geography. She has long studied the quality of Latvia's groundwater resources and represents Latvia's interests in the European Union groundwater working group. She leads several national and international cooperation and research projects examining the influence of groundwater on associated ecosystems, seawater intrusion processes, and the movement of agricultural pressures (nitrates) through groundwater.