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Peatlands

Sphagnum moss ©Flickr/Conall

What is a peatland?

A peatland is an area of land with a peat layer at the surface. Peat consists of partly decomposed plant remains that have accumulated over thousands of years due to water saturated conditions. In their wet pristine state, peatlands are often classified as a type of wetland. Peatlands represent the world’s largest terrestrial organic carbon stock.

Unfortunately, these fragile ecosystems are under threat. Damage to them causes significant greenhouse gas emissions, which can have a devastating impact on our planet. Moreover, peatlands work as a slow carbon sink and take thousands of years to form, so their preservation is essential. Their conservation and restoration are one of the most cost-effective ways to decrease greenhouse-gas emissions, increase resilience to climate change and preserve their very distinct biodiversity.

FAO's work on peatlands

FAO’s work on peatlands focuses on climate change action. We support countries technically in particular on technical assistance and policy work.

Our contribution

FAO supports countries to advance with peatland mapping, monitoring, and improved management, to support sustainable livelihoods, maintain and restore ecosystem services, and halt the losses caused by peatland drainage, contributing to targets on better environment and better production. FAO supports countries in advancing sustainable, wet peatland management at the regional, national and field levels. Support includes:

  • Policies and governance such as integration of peatlands into national legislative, regulatory, planning and monitoring processes,
  • Knowledge sharing and capacity development,
  • Technical support, in particular focused on mapping, definition, monitoring and Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV), and
  • Mobilizing resources.
Multimedia

News

© FAO_Bruno Portier
It's time to recognize the true value of peatlands
02/06/2026
Peatlands – which include bogs, fens, mires, and swamps – are wetland ecosystems with a unique type of soil formed from plant material that has only partially decomposed under waterlogged, oxygen-poor conditions.
©FAO_Peatlands Indonesia
Building the data foundation for peatland action in Indonesia
02/06/2026

Stronger monitoring systems are supporting efforts across Indonesia to protect and restore carbon-rich peatland landscapes.

Peatland monitoring in Peru_© FAO Guillermo Carlos
Peatland monitoring in Peru: open technology and Indigenous People's knowledge in service of climate action
26/05/2026
Around the Amazonian city of Iquitos — the most populated city in the Peruvian Amazon — lie some of the largest and best-preserved tropical peatlands on the planet. 
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