De Volkskrant voices the importance of safeguarding peat forests
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Climate mitigation and adaptation
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Wetland values, status and trends
“… Peat forests and other wetlands (are) the first line of defense against climate change. We can achieve up to 37 percent of the Paris targets by investing more in the protection of forests and wetlands,” says Jane Madgwick while being interviewed for an article by Ben van Raaij. De Volkskrant, a renowned Dutch newspaper recently published this article that unfolds a rather worrying story of increasing deforestation and degradation of Amazonian forests and wetlands, despite their irrefutable contribution to climate adaptation and mitigation.
While focusing on Brazil’s performance in Climate Action as presented at the 24th Conference of Parties of UNFCCC at Katowice, the article also takes the opportunity to elaborate on the importance of this peat forest in reducing carbon emission. “It also makes the Amazon forests a major threat to the fight against global warming, warns Madgwick. When they are laid out or drained, a huge CO2 bomb is released.”
By demonstrating the case of Brazil, the article emphasises on why wetlands like peatlands and peat forests should be urgently restored and safeguarded if countries want to meet Paris targets.
Read the full article in Dutch here.