Our Actions

Restoring peatlands in Russia

Many peatlands in Russia were drained for agriculture, forestry and peat mining in the past and then left abandoned. Now they are subject to wind and water erosion, major fires and cause large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions. Given the significant economic, environmental and social impact of these degraded peatlands, Wetlands International has recently started with the restoration of  Russia's degraded peatlands.

UNFCCC Climate Meeting in Durban (28 Nov - 12 Dec 2011)

Wetlands International participated at the 2011 climate summit in Durban, South Africa. The overall steps taken by the 194 governments are dangerously minimal. Regarding wetlands, we are content that wetland-carbon is finally recognised in different decisions. This may have a great impact for saving carbon rich wetlands (see final press release).

UNFCCC Adaptation Fund Board

The Adaptation Fund was created to finance climate change-related adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. We advocate solutions that help ensure environmental safeguards are built into the Adaptation Fund so that all projects and programme the Board finances fulfil strong envrionmental criteria.

Peatlands in UN Climate policies

Since 2005 we have stressed the importance of preventing further carbon emissions from peat soils at the UN Climate Conference (UNFCCC). We aim to include carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from the degradation and loss of peatlands in a new climate treaty that is currently under negotiation.

The UN Biological Diversity Summit 2010 (Nagoya, Japan)

Wetlands International was present at the Convention on Biological Diversity in Japan. Via presentations, publications and advocacy, we pushed for an ambitious strategic plan, in which countries committed themselves to actions for the coming decade. Although our ambitions on some issues were higher than the outcomes, we are content with the consensus reached between all countries (see www.cbd.int/nagoya/outcomes).

Palm oil production on peat

The demand for vegetable oil derived from oil palm is rapidly expanding. Approximately 90% of world production takes place in Indonesia and Malaysia. Unfortunately, around 20% of palm oil plantations in Southeast Asia are on peat soils, which until recently were covered by peat swamp forests. The drainage of these carbon-rich organic soils for plantations is causing massive greenhouse gas emissions.

Wetlands and Biofuels

Biofuels are liquid transportation fuels produced from crops as alternatives to petroleum-based gasoline and diesel. Biofuels demand and production is exploding globally, driven by government directives and the ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

UNFCCC Climate Talks in Bonn (June 2011)

New sessions have been held in Bonn, Germany on June 6-17of the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC), continuing work from agreements made in Cancun, Mexico in 2010. Through active participation in the meeting and two side events we promoted the conservation and restoration of tropical and temperate peatlands for the critical role they play in regulating the climate.  Furthermore, at the subsequent Adaptation Fund Board meeting on June 19 the importance of Strategic Impact Assessments in board funded projects was highlighted.

Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction & World Reconstruction Conference

At the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (Geneva, May 8-13) and its  World Reconstruction Conference (WRC, May 10-13) Wetlands International highlighted the role of ecosystems like wetlands to reduce the impact of extreme weather events such as extreme rainfall or extreme droughts. 

UNFCCC Climate Talks, Bonn (Aug 2010)