Identifying hotspots of greenhouse gas emissions from drained peatlands in the European Union.

ABSTRACT: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained peatlands account for about 7% of the total anthropogenic GHG emissions in the European Union (EU). Yet, a lack of high-resolution spatial data hampers targeted mitigation. We combined soil and land use data to generate detailed maps of land use, GHG emissions, and emission hotspots for EU+ peatlands. Undrained peatlands and those drained for forestry dominate at high latitudes, while drained Grassland and Cropland prevail around latitudes 50°-55°. Four main emission hotspots emerge: the North Sea region, eastern Germany, the Baltics together with eastern Poland, and north Ireland. The North Sea region is the largest, accounts for 20% of EU+ peatland emissions on just 4% of the peatland area. Our findings highlight the urgency of reducing emissio

SUBMITTER: van Giersbergen Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12673095 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature