Human activity means UK peatlands contribute to climate change
Monday, July 8, 2019
The UK’s peatlands are making a significant contribution to our greenhouse gas emissions because of the way they are managed, a major study has shown.
Peatlands occupy 12% of the UK’s land area and store vast quantities of carbon. Healthy peatlands capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and so can help to offset the effects of human activities such as fossil fuel burning that are raising CO2 levels in the atmosphere, leading to climate change.
However, around 80% of the UK’s peatlands have been significantly affected by the way they are managed, such as:
