Greifswald/Scharm el Scheich (dpa/mv) - Greifswald moor experts present data on the state of the world's moors on the sidelines of the world climate conference in Sharm el Scheich, Egypt. Together with partners, the Greifswald Moor Center (GMC) will also recommend measures to protect the moors at an event on Thursday, the GMC announced the day before.
According to the information, bogs cover only three to four percent of the land surface of the earth. However, they contained twice as much carbon as there is in the entire forest biomass on earth. "If peat soils are drained, this enters the atmosphere as CO2," it said. The moors therefore play an important role in achieving the global climate goals. Many moors have been drained for a long time in order to use the areas for agriculture, for example.
Among other things, the GMC calls for the prevention of drainage and financial incentives for the restoration of peatlands. 226 experts from 54 countries participated in the data collection. The GMC serves as an interface between science, politics and practice in all peatland issues - locally and worldwide.
