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Action 10. Global Warming

Peatlands are carbon sinks holding the bulk of Ireland's carbon store, which is locked up in the organic matter known as peat. Peatlands contain an estimated 5000 tonnes of carbon per hectare. Undisturbed peat accumulates carbon from the air at a rate of up to 0.7 tonnes per hectare per year (Pearce 1994). In a natural peatland system, the movement of greenhouse gases between the peatland and the air is complex. Although bogs accumulate carbon, they also emit methane, a bi-product of anaerobic decomposition, which is a powerful greenhouse gas. In an undisturbed bog the production of methane and the accumulation of carbon dioxide probably cancel each other out, so the contribution of carbon dioxide and methane gases to global warming is nil.

Drainage of a peatland upsets this accumulation process and leads to a vast increase in the amount of carbon dioxide bubbling out of the peatland, a bi-product of aerobic decomposition. An estimated 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year is released from drained peatlands. In Ireland 40% of our peatlands are man modified, have stopped accumulating peat, and are actively decomposing. Every year, therefore, these decomposing peatlands contribute at least 3.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, thus making a significant contribution to global warming. Even peatlands that have been afforested, in the long run release large amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere calling into question planting policies and woodland management strategies on peat soils (EPA 2000).

Global warming, which disrupts climate patterns has been identified as a major threat to wildlife and habitats and to human activities (WWF 1997, Conference on Climate Change, Kyoto 1997).

General Objective
To achieve no net loss of carbon accumulation function within our peatland resources.

Actions
3.10.1 Government needs to assess current land use patterns on deep peat deposits and their contribution to greenhouse gas emission.

3.10.2 A target area needs to be set for the restoration of carbon accumulation functions to peatlands, to embrace intact peatlands, afforested sites, cutover and cutaway bogs.

3.10.3 A climate change defence strategy for peatlands needs to be developed to address the likely effects of climate change on our peat resources and to prevent natural disasters.

3.10.4 Higher priority should be given to research techniques that restore peat accumulating vegetation on cutover and cutaway bogs because of its potential to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the long term.

3.10.5 A large-scale public awareness and education campaign is needed if some sense of urgency is to be felt by the majority of Irish citizens on the issue of global warming.