Climate Strategy in Peatlands Conservation: Managing Competing Demands from Food, Energy and the Environment

This panel session will explore engagement with a wider range of partners and countries for more effective South-South co-operative efforts to tackle challenges around peatland conservation and restoration.

The International Tropical Peatlands Centre (ITPC) and the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature in Kyoto are co-organizers of this session, which aims to provide a platform for exchanges among stakeholders concerned with the sustainability of tropical peatlands.

Over the past five decades, the global population has doubled, accelerating demand for food and other natural resources. Peat swamp forests have been cleared, drained and turned into oil palm plantations and agricultural cropland, triggering social concerns related to climate change and land tenure.

Meanwhile, accelerated extraction and processing of natural resources over the last 20 years accounts for more than 90 percent of global biodiversity loss and water stress, and approximately half of global climate change impacts as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have increased.

Delegates to this discussion will share ideas on peatland conservation and restoration, and progress and challenges for restoration activities on degraded peatlands, such as blocking canals, cultivating vegetation and growing bioenergy crops. They will also discuss regulatory frameworks around the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), and relating peatland restoration to the NDC processes.

Delegates will review advances in science and innovations applied to assessing GHG emissions from peatlands, peat hydrology, fire risks and provision of ecosystem services. These will also consider engagement with the private sector and local communities concerning peatland conservation and restoration, in the context of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Efforts by Indonesia’s government to reduce GHG emissions, and to prevent and control fires on peatlands will be reviewed during the session, which will also discuss potential for an emission reduction strategy, based on identification of responsible peatland management options. That should include synchronization of national plans at regional levels to attract business investment.

Discussions will turn to the need for restoration of degraded peatlands and re-wetting of peatland areas, with contributions to local livelihoods, bringing economic benefits for communities. Bioenergy crops grown on degraded and under-utilized peatlands presents a promising solution for energy security. Joint research by Indonesia’s government and Kyoto University on peatland restoration seeks a promising solution to meet requirements for food and energy security and land restoration.

Update for peatlands session as follows. Could you please also update the info at GLF page?

Keynote address:
Dr. Agus Justianto
Head, Forestry and Environmental Research Development and Innovation Agency (FOERDIA)

Moderator:
Dr. Daniel Murdiyarso, CIFOR

Speakers:

1. Kristell Hergoualc’h, Scientist, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
→ Climate change impacts of agriculture, pastoralism and forestry in peatlands with examples from Indonesia and Peru
2. Nyoman Iswarayoga, Director of External Affairs, Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER)
→ Peatlands landscape approach
3. Maria Nuutinen, Forestry Officer, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
→ Paludiculture – sustainable food and biomass production on peatlands and how to enhance local livelihood benefits from peatland (via internet)
4. Haris Gunawan, Deputy of Research and Development, Peat Restoration Agency (BRG)
→ Managing peat water to serve community livelihood
5. Mitsuru Osaki, Professor Emeritus Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University
6. Private sector from Japan (TBC)
→ Technology to rehabilitate degraded peatlands