Why 2024 is the year to invest in Scotland’s peatland restoration

With the climate crisis exacerbating weather events across the UK and the wider world, our collective environmental impact has never before been under such scrutiny – and the need for nature-based solutions is at an all-time high.

Just last year, COP28 saw 18 countries endorse a Joint Statement on Climate, Nature and People, recognising the importance of nature-based solutions in addressing climate change.

Peatland restoration is a flagship solution that requires urgent action, across the UK. With the ability to absorb and store carbon, enhance biodiversity and improve freshwater availability, revitalised peatlands hold a host of benefits for the planet and for businesses committed to delivering high impact projects, alongside their emission reduction strategies. With 2024 well underway, here are a few key reasons why now is the time to invest in peatland restoration in Scotland...

 

Carbon capture

Degraded peatlands account for a significant 4% of the UK's annual greenhouse gas emissions, releasing up to 25 tonnes of CO2 per hectare each year.

With the significance of these carbon emissions, responsible landholders and business leaders are stepping up to take action, and enhancing carbon storage is one way to do so. 

Restoring damaged peatlands serves to capture these carbon emissions - improving biodiversity and helping to tackle the climate crisis. Indeed, healthy peatlands store 30% of land-based carbon — double the amount of all the world’s forests.

Working with Caledonian Climate, Businesses can claim verified carbon credits in Scotland, demonstrating their efforts to reduce their UK based carbon footprint and contribute to global net zero ambitions. Peatland Code carbon credits are backed by the government and accepted within annual voluntary emission reporting. We provide detailed reports, with several bespoke measurement options such as water quality markers, biodiversity metrics, and detailed site specific statistics, so that businesses can plan and report on their ongoing carbon strategy in a high impact, high integrity manner.

 

Defence against flooding

As recent events have demonstrated, flooding is becoming a very real crisis across the UK, with extreme storms and warmer winters resulting in more frequent flooding. Wetland habitats, such as Scotland’s peatlands, are one of nature’s best protectors against flooding, acting as giant sponges that soak up excess rainwater and slow the speed it moves through the ground.

A degraded peatland cannot absorb water effectively, leading it to drain rapidly downstream, contributing to flooding. Fortunately, once restored, peatland can again offer this natural flood defence. Large-scale peatland restoration projects serve as a mitigating measure against future flooding and the potential risks this holds for communities across the UK. 

 

Boosting biodiversity

Healthy peatlands are an incredibly rich habitat for a variety of plant life, invertebrates, birds and mammals. This varied mixture of plant and animal species living within a peatland habitat are essential for the process of peat formation.

Research conducted by Bug Life UK, commissioned by Caledonian Climate with support from our partner Wetlands International, demonstrated the positive impact of peatland restoration on the colonisation of a range of bugs including dragonflies, damselflies, diving beetles and mayflies.

As businesses look to build their green credentials and make a real impact on the planet, peatland projects pose a uniquely impactful solution.

 

Business Incentives

Investing in a peatland restoration project can have a positive impact on staff as well as the planet. Increasingly, workers are demanding more sustainable initiatives from their employers, with 65% reportedly being more likely to work for a company with robust environmental policies. 

Supporting peatland recovery offers tangible evidence of a business’s environmental values and mission. Employees can see the impact their company is having in real life with Caledonian Climate projects. With the opportunity to visit sites and, reading our reporting documents, staff are confident that their company is making a real difference to the planet.

 

While the climate challenge we face is vast, the good news is that peatland restoration brings almost immediate benefits, at scale. Within a few months, carbon emissions are reduced, enhanced habitats are created, and peatland’s natural role of absorbing carbon is restored.

Caledonian Climate collaborates with landowners and businesses to deliver fully scoped, expertly conducted and maintained peatland projects that are underpinned by the Peatland Code to ensure both parties can confidently achieve their long-term environmental goals.

If you are interested in finding out more about investing in peatland restoration, please do not hesitate to get in touch.