The government has announced new action to reduce peat carbon emissions and support farmers following recommendations from the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force.
To support the management of lowland peatlands, the government has confirmed it will take forward all the recommendations made by Robert Caudwell, chair of the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force.
Running between 2021 and 2022, the group was tasked with improving the condition of England’s farmed lowland peat.
Its recommendations, unveiled today, include public money for wetter modes of farming on peat soils, raising the profile of lowland agricultural peat soils and creating viable opportunities in private finance.
Others include new investment in water storage, management and control, as well as adopting the task force’s roadmap to commercially viable paludiculture (farming on rewetted peat).
Peat soils contain over half the country’s terrestrial carbon stores and serve as a potent nature-based solution against climate change.
However, today, just 1% of England’s lowland peatlands remain in a near-natural state.
Robert Caudwell, chair of the task force said: “All the evidence demonstrates that reducing carbon emissions from lowland peat is vital as part of the United Kingdom government’s plan to tackle climate change.
“The report and the UK government’s response are important first steps in a journey that will require partnership between all stakeholders.
"I am confident that the work that is already underway will give farmers opportunities to develop their businesses and contribute to the challenge of net zero.”
The government has also announced new funding today, to be distributed across two pilots.
The Lowland Agricultural Peat Small Infrastructure Pilot (£5.5m) will support the installation of infrastructure and monitoring technology to enable more control of water levels for the preservation and rewetting of lowland peat.
And the Lowland Agricultural Peat Water Discovery Pilot (£2.2m) will allow local and water peatland partnerships to collaborate to develop costed water level management plans for lowland peat areas in England.
Twelve projects across England are also set to receive support through the £5 million Paludiculture Exploration Fund grant scheme.
Environment Minister Trudy Harrison added: “Our peatlands are invaluable allies in our battle against climate change, housing over half of our terrestrial carbon stores and providing resilience for future farming.
“These new measures, which includes funding for innovative new water management schemes, bolster our efforts to protect and improve peat soils – enhancing carbon storage, preserving vital ecosystems, and paving the way for a more sustainable future.”
