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🚨 Paper Alert! 📢We are excited to announce the publication of a new study in Nature Communications, “Identifying hotspot of peatland emissions in the EU+”, in which researchers from our department in collaboration with colleagues from Universität Greifswald, Greifswald Moor Centrum, and Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus present the first high-resolution map of greenhouse gas emissions from #peatlands across the European Union. The results show that peatland emissions are far higher than currently reported and pinpoint exactly where rapid action can deliver the greatest #climate gains. The study estimates that drained peatlands emit 232 ± 56 Mt CO₂e per year. This is nearly double the 119 Mt CO₂e reported by EU member states to the #UNFCCC. The resulting underreporting gap of 59-113 Mt CO₂e annually is comparable to the entire yearly emissions of all EU air traffic. Peatlands currently used for agriculture, especially grasslands and croplands between 50-55°N, emerge as the dominant sources. In contrast, northern peatlands remain largely intact and emit far less per hectare. The high-resolution analysis identifies four clear emission hotspot regions: • North Sea region (northwest Germany, the Netherlands, southeast England) • Eastern Germany • Baltic states and eastern Poland • Ireland These regions account for 39% of all emissions, yet contain only 17% of total peatland area, making them priority zones for climate #mitigation. Find out more here: 👉 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-65841-6 Rewetting remains the most effective way to stop emissions from drained peatlands. By identifying where reductions can be achieved most efficiently, this study provides the evidence needed to accelerate climate-smart land-use decisions across the EU. These findings directly support the ambitions of the #PeatlandBreakthrough presented at the #COP30 Brazil, the global initiative calling for rapid peatland protection, restoration, and sustainable management. The published hotspot map shows where swift intervention can yield the highest climate returns: https://globalpeatlands.org/peatlandbreakthrough WET HORIZONS FIBSUN PaluWise Paludi4All #Wetlands ALFAwetlands - Wetlands Restoration for the future Universität Greifswald Radboud University Nijmegen Wetlands International Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus #biodiversa #Wetscapes2.0 #peatlandsmatter Thanks to all of the co-authors for their collaboration: Quint Van Giersbergen, Franziska Tanneberger, Christian Fritz, Alexandra Barthelmes, Kristiina Lång, John Couwenberg, and Nina Martin.