The UKCEH-led, GGR-Peat Demonstrator Flexible Fund seeks proposals to advance research to transform degraded UK peatlands into effective greenhouse gas removal (GGR) systems. With £250,000 total funding (up to £75,000 FEC per project; award pays 80%), this initiative targets critical gaps in peatland management science, including water-table control in lowland agriculture, methane suppression techniques, biomass production for carbon capture, and scalable spatial planning. Projects can be up to 9-months in duration and must align with themes such as integrating nature-based solutions (e.g., sphagnum reintroduction, biochar) with novel interventions to enhance carbon sequestration while mitigating methane emissions. Proposals should emphasise practical, scalable strategies to convert peatlands from carbon sources to sinks.
This call targets six key themes:
- Water management in lowland peatlands, focusing on self-sustaining hydrological systems to maintain rewetting without active pumping.
- Biomass production for biochar or carbon capture, balancing productivity with lifecycle emissions and land-use trade-offs.
- Methane suppression via amendments (e.g., iron sulphate, gypsum) or sphagnum restoration to minimise CH₄ emissions from rewetted peat.
- Practical implementation of GGR strategies, co-designed with landowners to develop viable business models and policy frameworks.
- Spatial mapping tools integrating biophysical, socio-economic and regulatory data to optimise GGR interventions across diverse peat landscapes.
- Combined interventions, such as pairing paludiculture with biochar application, to maximise carbon sequestration and co-benefits.
The deadline for applications is midnight on 31st March 2025.
For more information, research themes and application details: www.ggrpeat.org/fund
