Are emission reductions from peatlands MRV-able?

1. Challenges and options John Couwenberg Hans Joosten Greifswald University Are emission reductions from peatlands MRV-able

3. Global CO 2 emissions from drained peatlands 2077 63 Total 105 30 3.5 Temperate/tropical peatland forestry 12 1 12 Boreal peatland forestry 60 1 30 Peat extraction 150 30 5 Urbanisation, infrastructure 750 25 30 Peatland agriculture outside SE Asia 400 Peatland fires in SE Asia 600 50 12 Drained peatlands in SE Asia Total CO 2 (Mton y -1 ) CO 2 (ton ha -1 y -1 ) Drained area (10 6 ha)

6. yearly emissions time Reducing the rate of deforestation (rate of reclamation of new areas)

7. yearly emissions time Reducing the rate of peatland drainage (rate of reclamation of new areas) Peatlands continue emiting for decades after drainage: Annual emissions are cumulative

12. Measure drained…

13. … and (re-)wet(ted) situation...

14. frequent, prolonged, intensive

15. expensive, complex, time consuming

16. Peenetal Measure pilot sites, develop proxies for the rest

17. Proxies: water level -120 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 mean annual water level [cm] t CO2 ha -1 y -1 0 10 20 30 40 50 Good proxy for CO 2 emissions: Example temperate Europe

18. Proxies: water level -100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 mean water level [cm] kg CH 4 ?ha -1 y -1 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 t CO 2 -eq?ha -1 y -1 Good proxy for CH 4 emissions: Example temperate Europe

19. Proxies: water level Good proxy for CH 4 emissions: Boreal/temp Europe SEAsia At high water levels differences due to vegetation -0,5 0 1 2 3 CH 4 emission [mg m -2 h -1 ] 0 5 10 15 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 water level [cm]

20. Emissions strongly related to water level Vegetation strongly related to water level  Use vegetation as indicator for emissions

24. GESTs: Greenhouse gas Emission Site Types

27. Proxies: subsidence Oxidative component derived from changes in bulk density and ash content: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 -120 -100 -80 -60 -20 0 subsidence [cm y -1 ] 0 Estimated emission [t CO 2 ha -1 y -1 ] 8 9 10 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 -40 drainage depth [cm]