International workshop on Integrated management and rehabilitation of peatlands

6-7th February 2004, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Workshop on Integrated management and rehabilitation of peatlands was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 6-7 February 2004. The workshop was jointly organized by the Global Environment Centre and Wetlands International with support from UNEP-GEF, UNDP/GEF, DANIDA and CIDA-CCFPI. It was attended by more than 100 technical experts and representatives from a broad range of government agencies from 14 countries around the world. A total of 25 papers were presented in this two day workshop. It was officially opened by the Deputy Director General of the Forestry Department, Peninsular Malaysia, Y. Bhg. Dato Shaharuddin bin Mohd Ismail. This workshop deliberated on two main themes namely ‘Integrated Management and Policy’ and ‘Rehabilitation and Restoration of Peatlands’. Two Working Groups on 6th and 7th of reviewed in detail issues related to the themes and prepared a broad range of recommendations which were presented at February the panel discussions.

Participants during one of the sessions.

The workshop recognised that peatlands covering 400 million ha or 3% of the world’s land surface from tropical to polar zones, are natural climate regulators and one of the world’s largest carbon stores, containing more than 550 billion tonnes. One hectare of tropical peat swamp forest stores up to 5,000 tonnes of carbon which is 15 times more than any other forest type. Possessing unique biodiversity, they also store 10% of available freshwater and have numerous crucial ecological functions. However, peatlands worldwide are being atened by land clearing, drainage, as well as forest and peat fires. In Southeast Asia alone more than 2 million ha have been destroyed by fire and a further 6 million ha drained in the last 15 years. Loss of peatlands can have catastrophic impacts on human life, health and economic productivity as it changes global climate, causes extreme flooding and drought, as well as other environmental degradation. If all the carbon stored in peatlands were released it would nearly double the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide and lead to a drastic global temperature rise of 2-3 degrees Celsius. Natural water supply and flood control functions would also be disrupted and economic products and services would be lost.

The workshop identified a range of solutions to address the degradation of peatlands including:

- implement regional and national strategies and policies for the sustainable management of peatlands;

- develop integrated management strategies for individual peatlands which will harmonise the strategies of the different development sectors;

- rehabilitate degraded peatlands to prevent further fires, carbon loss and restore its natural functions and biodiversity; and

- protect remaining pristine peatlands.

The meeting discussed a range of recent efforts to seriously address peatland problems. For instance, in Southeast Asia, the 10 ASEAN governments established the ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative to facilitate and promote active cooperation, on information exchange, and sharing of expertise and resources among the countries to prevent peatland fires and manage peatlands wisely. Russia has recently adopted a peatland policy which will guide the protection and restoration of peat resources. Its giant neighbour China has started to protect and restore the peatlands in the upper watershed of the Yellow River to help ensures year-round water supply and reduce flooding. Indonesia, which bore the brunt of the 1997-8 peat fires in Southeast Asia, has started a community based programme on protecting and restoring peatlands by local communities.

These positive steps are not sufficient to reduce the overall global trend of peatland degradation, however. Global efforts need to be redoubled and collaboration on successful approaches needs to be enhanced. The workshop was the first meeting of its kind in Asia to bring together peatland restoration experts from around the world to discuss and develop common strategies and techniques for peatland restoration and integrated management. cause One targeted output is the framework for a global handbook on peatland management and restoration techniques. The workshop also called upon Parties to the UN Convention on Biodiversity to recognise the importance of peatlands for biodiversity and climate change. It specifically highlighted the need for concerted action to stop the further degradation of peatlands. The peat experts also urged the Parties to incorporate the issue of peatlands into CBD decisions on biodiversity and climate change as well as mountain and freshwater ecosystems.

For more information, contact David Lee at the Global Environment Centre: david@genet.po.my