Position on the role of peatland conservation, rewetting and restoring within the carbon removal certification framework proposed by the European Commission (PRINCESS)

Executive summary 

• Prioritization of peatland conservation and the reduction of GHG emissions
• Future carbon removal credits for peatland rewetting and restoration seems possible
• Large-scale implementation of paludiculture as a low-emission land use alternative for peatlands
• Development of an EU-centralized meta-standard for peatland codes  
• Introduction of a European or international body for the certification of peatlands codes and monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) methodology
• Include co-benefits as an integral part of the certification mechanism
• Putting in place appropriate safeguards to prevent and mitigate risks (e.g. misguided planting of trees on drained peatlands)

PRINCESS is a project funded by the EU 2019-2020 Joint COFUND “Biodiversity and Climate Change”. The signatories collaborate in the PRINCESS project funded through the 2019-2020 BiodivERsA joint call for research proposals, under the BiodivClim ERA-Net COFUND programme. More information can be found here: https://www.princess-project.com Consortium: University of Greifswald (partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre), University of Warsaw, University of Antwerp, University of Vienna, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE)