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United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) publishes the Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas, 2024 | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) publishes the Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas, 2024

Posted 26 Nov 2024

2 min read

The Atlas builds on the Global Peatlands Assessment (2022) and accompanying Global Peat­land Map 2.0, both flagship products of the UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative. 

  • UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative: It was formed at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016.

About Peatlands

  • Peatlands: Terrestrial wetland ecosystems in which waterlogged conditions prevent plant material from fully decomposing. Consequently, the production of organic matter exceeds its decomposition, resulting in a net accumulation of peat.
    • Peat is dead and partially decomposed plant remains that have accumulated in situ under waterlogged conditions.
  • Global Peatlands distribution: Peatlands cover 3.8% of the world’s land area.
    • Its expanse: Naturally forested peatlands in Europe and tropical peat swamps in South East Asia, permafrost area of Russia and Canada, and high mountain peatlands in the Andes and Himalayas.
    • The world's largest tropical peatlands are located in the Congo Basin.
  • Peatland Degradation: Nearly 12% of global peatlands are degraded, with more than 60% of peatlands in India being degraded.
    • Threats: Agricul­ture, peat extraction, industrial activities and infrastructure development. Represents currently 4% of global anthropogenic emissions.
  • Initiatives: Guidelines for Global Action on Peatlands (2002), The UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-4) resolution on the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Peatlands (2019), etc.

Significance of Peatland:

  • Carbon storage: Peatlands are the world’s largest terrestrial carbon stock – storing at least 550 Gigatonnes of carbon globally – more than twice the carbon stored in all the world’s forests.
  • Biodiversity conservation: Peatlands are vital habitats for rare and threatened species.
  • Ecosystem services: Regulating and purifying water for human consumption, agriculture & have a net cooling effect on climate.
  • Tags :
  • Peatlands
  • UNEP
  • UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative
  • Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas, 2024
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