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Carbon credits from peatland rewetting
Climate - biodiversity - land use

Science, policy, implementation and recommendations of a pilot project in Belarus

Ed.: Franziska Tanneberger; Wendelin Wichtmann

2011. XII , 223 pages, 41 tables, 30 info boxes, 100 mostly coloured figures , 28x21cm, 1090 g
Language: English

ISBN 978-3-510-65271-6, bound, price: 39.80 €

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Synopsis
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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.

A russian language edition of this book is also available.

Table of Contents
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Foreword by the United Nations Environment Programme V
Foreword by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Protection
of the Republic of Belarus VII
Foreword by the Michael Otto Foundation IX

1 Introduction 1

2 Peatlands in Belarus 3
2.1 Extent and types of mires and peatlands in Belarus 3
2.2 Investigation and drainage of peatlands 5
2.3 Use of peatlands and peat 7
2.4 Rewetting of peatland 9

3 Peatlands and climate 13
3.1 Peatlands and greenhouse gases 13
3.2 The global peatland CO2 picture 20
3.3 Measuring GHG emissions from peatlands 30
3.4 Vegetation as a proxy for greenhouse gas fluxes –
the GEST approach 37
3.5 Prediction of vegetation development with and without rewetting 42

4 Peatlands and biodiversity 61
4.1 Biodiversity values of Belarusian peatlands 61
4.2 Relationship between peatland condition and biodiversity values 68
4.3 Target and indicator species 77
4.4 Peatland rewetting and bio diversity management 81

5 Driving forces and funding options 89
5.1 Legal obligations for the restoration of degraded peatlands
in Belarus 89
5.2 Sensitising global conventions for climate change mitigation
by peatlands 90
5.3 Selling peatland rewetting on the voluntary carbon market 94
5.4 Selling peatland rewetting on the compliance carbon market 99
5.5 Voluntary emission reduction projects – how to start in Belarus 105

6 Land use options for rewetted peatlands 107
6.1 Overview on land use options after rewetting 107
6.2 Biomass use for food and fodder 110
6.3 Biomass use for raw material 113
6.4 Biomass use for energy 115
6.5 Benefits from land use on rewetted peatlands 128

7 The BMU-ICI project 133
7.1 Project summary 133
7.2 Site selection and rewetting actions 137
7.3 Climate actions 141
7.4 Biodiversity actions 145
7.5 Policy actions 147
7.6 Communication and awareness raising 149
7.7 Capacity building 152
7.8 Lessons learnt 154
7.9 The BMU-ICI twin project in Ukraine 165

8 Practical rewetting examples 169
8.1 Introduction 169
8.2 Dalbeniski 170
8.3 Zada 172
8.4 Hrycyna-Starobinskaje 174
8.5 Scarbinski Moch 177
8.6 Dakudauskaje 181
8.7 Jelnia 184

9 Recommended research and monitoring activities in rewetted peatlands 189
9.1 Recommended research activities 189
9.2 Recommended monitoring activities 193

10 Acknowledgements 197

References 199
List of contributors 217
Index 219