Peat Bogs: Conservation

(asked on 21st February 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) increase, and (2) bring forward, their targets for peatland restoration.


This question was answered on 7th March 2022

England's peatlands are our largest terrestrial carbon store. They provide a home for rare wildlife, regulate our water supply and provide a record of the past. However, only 13% of our peatlands are in a near-natural state.

In the Net Zero Strategy, we committed to aim to restore approximately 280,000 ha of peatland in England by 2050. At least 35,000 ha of peatlands in England will be restored by 2025 via the Nature for Climate Fund, and we are exploring future funding options through the development of our environmental land management schemes, including learning from the recommendations of the Lowland Peat Agricultural Taskforce.

Our current commitments represent a tripling of historic average annual restoration levels. Natural England is currently developing an Implementation Plan which will set out how the England Peat Action Plan will be delivered, including a trajectory of restoration over the next 20 years. We will continue to keep our policies under review, to ensure that we meet Defra’s share of upcoming carbon budgets.

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