Peatlands on the agenda at World Conservation Congress

August 9, 2016

The IUCN UK Peatland Programme, alongside Scottish Environment LINK, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, Wetlands International and other partners, are actively promoting peatlands at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii (1-10th September).

Held once every four years, the Congress brings together several thousand leaders and decision-makers from government, civil society, indigenous peoples, business and academia, with the goal of conserving the environment and harnessing the solutions nature offers to global challenges.

Peatland management is being highlighted and debated in both parts of the congress. During the initial ‘Forum’ sessions an interactive poster on the Peatland Code will allow interested parties to explore the workings of the Peatland Code and the background to peatland science and restoration in the UK.  Partners to the IUCN UK Peatland Programme are showcased through a series of short videos embedded in the poster.  In addition to this, a round-table debate, chaired by Stuart Brooks (Vice Chair of the IUCN UK PP), will explore key issues and identify agreed next steps, highlighting the relevant institutions and policy mechanisms. 

Following on from the forum is a ‘Members Assembly’ where IUCN members worldwide will come together to debate conservation topics that have been raised and approved as motions. IUCN UK Peatland Programme and partners have submitted a motion entitled ‘Securing a future for global peatlands’ with the main outcome requested being for IUCN to:

prepare draft legislation for nations to use as a guideline recommending how to preserve and restore peatlands and how to include them alongside forests in all relevant intergovernmental agreements relating to climate change, geodiversity and biodiversity”.

The IUCN will formally adopt successful motions as IUCN resolutions or recommendations. We hope to be able to update you on the status of the global peatland motion in our monthly newsletters.

IUCN World Conservation Congress logo

 
Exterior view of Virtual Peatland Pavilion showing four large domes in an urban landscape
New Virtual Peatland Pavilion launched for COP29To raise awareness of the global importance of peatlands during COP29, the latest pavilion has been…
Cover image for 'The most important plant in the world' showing the film's title in yellow text over a background of Sphagnum moss
Specially commissioned film celebrates 'The most important plant in the world'The IUCN UK Peatland Programme has commissioned the first in a series of short films, celebrating…
Cumbrian tarn - large body of water with emergent vegetation and hills in the distance. Image credit Steve Hewert.
Launch of the Peatland Code Version 2.1The IUCN UK Peatland Programme has launched a new update to the Peatland Code, which helps to boost…
Flat peatland landscape on fire with large plumes of smoke. Image credit Paul Turner
New brief highlights the importance of peatland rewetting for wildfire resilienceThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme's latest publication explores recent evidence from the UK and North…
Painting of a river in spate: Peter Graham 1866, 'A spate in the highlands'
Call for proposals for Water Research Seminar SeriesThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme and the Environment Agency are delighted to announce a series of…
'Work in progress' sign with a digger on it next to two photographs of children drawing on large sheets of paper
The Power of the Peat Bogs! How pupils turned their environmental education into a song Primary school pupils who have engaged with a project to restore ancient peatland and traditional…
SWPP award
South West Peatland Partnership awarded gold by Global Good AwardsThe South West Peatland Partnership won a Gold award at the Global Good Awards for their work…
Exterior view of Virtual Peatland Pavilion showing four large domes in a desert landscape
Seeking content for the COP29 Virtual Peatland PavilionThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme and Global Peatlands Initiative are seeking new content for an…
UK Peatland Strategy
New report celebrates UK peatland restoration – but climate and nature targets still at riskAnalysis reveals 250,000 hectares of peatland restoration activity over 30 years – way short of the…
Peatland at Inshriach, Allt a’ Mharcaidh
Largest ever gathering of UK peatland experts to celebrate ‘Peatlands, People and Nature’ in the Cairngorms National ParkAviemore in the Cairngorms National Park is to play host to the UK’s largest gathering of peatland…
Landscape of mountains and forest
View the full programme for #PeatConf24 and book your tickets now!The full programme for the IUCN UK Peatland Programme 2024 conference ‘Peatlands, People and Nature…
CivTech in white writing with blue background and outlines of scales, lightbulb and book
CivTech challenge invites ideas for Peatland Code and Woodland Carbon CodeProposals are being invited for the Scottish Government's CivTech Challenge 10.6 to use technology…