Carbon storage

Peatlands are the largest natural store of carbon on Earth. They cover only 3% of Earth’s land surface but store more carbon than all other vegetation types in the world combined. As peat forms it locks in carbon contained in the plant matter and prevents it from being released into the atmosphere, this is why peatlands are described as ‘carbon sinks’. Healthy peatlands remove from the atmosphere and then store an estimated 0.37 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

The UK has a large area of peatlands (about 20,000 square kilometres), however much of this has become degraded so is no longer removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it. This is caused by decades of unsuitable land management practices and as a consequence, peatlands are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. The peatland restoration work of the North Pennines National Landscape team therefore plays a vital role in reducing the effects of climate change.