Nine peatland successes offer lessons for restoring a neglected climate ally

Peatlands store carbon and support wildlife and livelihoods, yet degradation outpaces restoration. An open-access paper has gathered nine examples showing what action can look like.

Published in the journal Ambio, the review examines “bright spots” across science, policy, conservation, rewetting, restoration, livelihoods and markets. The authors found that successful examples relied on collaboration across disciplines and communities, practical innovation and clear, solutions-focused communication.

The scale of the challenge remains enormous. The paper says roughly 431 million hectares of remaining near-natural peatland need protection, while almost all 57 million hectares of degraded peatland need rewetting to support net-zero goals. Research is growing—studies focused on peatland conservation, restoration and rewetting rose from 51 in 2000 to 388 in 2024—but peatlands still receive far less research attention than forests or marine ecosystems.

This is a perspective paper, not evidence that global restoration is on track. The authors explicitly say progress remains insufficient. Its contribution is to identify approaches that have changed management and can guide governments, researchers and communities seeking credible models to adapt and scale.