With nearly 3 million hectares, covering 10% of the land area, the UK is one of the world’s top 10 countries for peatland area. However, the majority (circa 80%) of the UK’s peatlands are no longer sequestering and storing carbon. Due to decades of unsuitable land management practices, it has instead become a significant net source of Greenhouse Gases (GHG), currently emitting approximately 16 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) each year. This is equivalent to around half of all the reduction efforts made annually in the UK. Preventing further damage and restoring healthy ecosystem functions can therefore play an important role in climate mitigation across the UK. Conserving and restoring peatlands also prevents loss of biodiversity and helps to enhance water quality. 

The emissions reduction benefit from restoring peatlands is permanent and linear therefore the carbon yield is the same every year for the whole duration of the project. Buyers can therefore be confident in purchasing peatland carbon units up front, enabling the restoration project to take place.