Abstract
Damaged peatlands, such as those drained for agriculture or used for peat extraction, release large quantities of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, thereby contributing to global warming. Restoration of these damaged peatlands is promoted as a means of restarting their carbon sink function so that they take up or sequester more carbon from the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide than they release to it; that is, so that they act as a 'brake' on global warming. However, restoration schemes have not considered the release of methane from peatlands. Like carbon dioxide, methane is a carbon gas, but it is much more potent as a greenhouse gas. Therefore, although methane is emitted from peatlands in relatively small quantities, its effects must be considered when judging the success of peatland restoration from the perspective of climate change. Given the uncertain role of methane in the carbon balance of restored peatlands, this study aims to review existing literature to see how methane emissions from restored peatlands compare with those from undamaged (natural) peatlands and from damaged (but unrestored) peatlands. The study will be delivered by a report summarising a literature review and the results from an expert workshop and an international expert questionnaire survey.
United Kingdom