Carbon credits from peatland rewetting
Subtitle: climate, biodiversity, land use : science, policy, implementation, and recommendations of a pilot project in Belarus
By: Franziska Tanneberger & Wendelin Wichtmann, eds
Publisher: Schweizerbart Science Publishers
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Stuttgart
Language: eng
Number of pages: 223
ISBN-13: 9783510652716
Subjects: Peat; Peatland ecology; Carbon content
Description: "Drained peatlands account for only 0.3% of the global land area. At the same time, drained peatlands are the source of a disproportional 6% of total anthropogenic CO2-emissions; a problem that needs to be addressed. The 'hotspots' are well known: Southeast Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, parts of the United States and Northeast China. The solution is obvious: Restore high water levels in peatlands. But many questions remain. How does rewetting affect greenhouse gas fluxes? What about methane? Are the emissions measurable, reportable and verifiable? Are emission reductions from peatland rewetting creditable towards Kyoto Protocol commitments? Can they be sold on the voluntary carbon market? How does rewetting influence biodiversity? And, may rewetted peatlands still be used productively? Belarus ranks 8th among the world's countries in terms of peatland CO2 emissions and occupies 3rd place in CO2-emissions per unit land area. In recent years, tens of thousands of hectares of drained peatlands in Belarus have been rewetted. This volume provides a synthesis of the challenges encountered and solutions adopted in a pilot project conducted in Belarus between 2008 and 2011. It presents data and conclusions from the project and relates basic principles to advanced applications, integrating science and politics, ecology and economy. The experiences and recommendations for peatland restoration set forth in this volume will inspire practitioners, land-use planners, scientists and politicians alike."--Publisher's description.
Notes: "With 44 contributions."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 199-215) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Peatlands in Belarus; title: Peatlands and climate; title: Peatlands and biodiversity; title: Driving forces and funding options; title: Land use options for rewetted peatlands; title: The BMU-ICI project; title: Practical rewetting examples; title: Recommended research and monitoring activities in rewetted peatlands.