“From the 2.2 million hectares of the UK surveyed, some 19 per cent have collapsed by more than 2.5cm over five years.
“Assuming that this collapse is an indication of active erosion or oxidation, we estimate that, as a whole, the UK peatlands surveyed were emitting around 10 million tonnes of carbon (CO2 equivalent) per year during 2016 to 2021.”
According to Dr Sowter, a commitment from the Government to help restore the peatlands would help the UK reach its net zero emissions target.
At present, the Government has vowed to slash greenhouse emissions by 2050, and reduce emissions by 78 percent by 2035.
The expert estimates the potential economic windfall of investing in peatland restoration could be worth more than £500million per year.
source: express.co.uk