Janice R. Andrews
Due to improper recognition, one of Scotland’s most effective tools in the fight against climate change is having financial difficulties, according to experts. Restoring degraded peatlands might reduce Scotland’s emissions nearly as much as decarbonizing all of its housing stock, yet the powerful Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) does not see it as a valid way to offset greenhouse gas emissions. This has hindered the flow of private funding required for these rehabilitation initiatives.
A group of businesses and nonprofits have written to the SBTi to request that it change its position. Major companies including Tesco, Kellogg’s, and the receive advice from the SBTi, which maintains that it supports both emission reductions and investments in peatland restoration. The organization contends that substantial financial support is withheld if enterprises’ net-zero ambitions do not include peatland restoration.
Scotland’s deteriorated peatlands, which make up at least 20% of the country’s land area, emit more than six million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually—nearly enough to power every home in the country. The Scottish government promised in 2020 to restore 250,000 hectares of peatland by 2030, but just 18,500 hectares have been recovered thus far.
Currently, offsetting works by buying carbon credits, which are mostly used for planting trees. However, carbon capture and other future technologies are also planned. High-integrity carbon credits are seen by policymakers as essential to the shift to net-zero emissions, despite the concerns of many who believe it permits firms to continue polluting.
Freddie Ingleby of Caledonian Climate Partners draws attention to the overemphasis placed on peatland restoration in favor of tree planting and emerging technology. Supported by a number of businesses and nonprofit organizations, the letter to SBTi claims that the program is hindering global efforts to restore peatlands and giving investors a “unscientific message”. The letter insists that compensating for inevitable emissions must include peatland restoration.
The IUCN UK Peatland Programme’s Dr. Renée Kerkvliet-Hermans highlights that the UK’s damaged peatlands release more carbon dioxide each year than all of the nation’s forests take in. She points out that businesses have been discouraged from purchasing peatland carbon credits by the SBTi’s position.
The SBTi recognizes the need to restore ecosystems, including peatlands, while emphasizing the need to avoid and reduce emissions before taking offsets into account. Nevertheless, as part of Scotland’s larger climate plan, the need for a change in the acceptance and funding of peatland restoration initiatives keeps growing.
