Peatlands Pavilion

The Global Peatlands Pavilion took place from 1 to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow in the Blue Zone at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Highlight

The programme brought together over 250 speakers from around the world from all sectors and disciplines

Resume

The Global Peatlands Pavilion took place from 1 to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow in the Blue Zone at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Pavilion itself consisted of a physical space including a water droplet structure built out of reeds gathered from peatlands, and a 3D virtual pavilion with three “floors” of multi-media content, including over 200 exhibits. The programme brought together over 250 speakers from around the world from all sectors and disciplines. There were 45 sessions held over the 12 thematic days, covering topics such as peatlands in Nationally Determined Contributions, mobilising finance, adaptation and resilience, and peatland science and policy. Funded by a range of sponsors including governments, NGOs and businesses, the pavilion was the largest-ever gathering of its kind, with over 2700 people from more than 100 countries registering to the online platform and many more attending in person. It led to a number of impacts including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Scotland and Chile to support the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of their peatlands. The pavilion launched the baseline map that will be used in the upcoming Global Peatlands Assessment; re-enforced commitments to include peatlands in NDCs in the Nile Basin; enabled dialogue on the development of a new European Peatlands Initiative; and hosted the launch of landmark reports by UNEP on the Economics of Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Management of Peatlands, by Ramsar on Peatland Restoration Practice, and by IUCN UK Peatland Programme on peat-free horticulture – Demonstrating Success.

Virtual Peatland Pavilions

In parallel with the physical pavilion and online platform, the Global Peatland Pavilion team launched, during UNFCCC COP26, the first Virtual Peatland Pavilion, which presented content from the Global Peatlands Initiative partners and collaborators from around the world. It was designed and curated by Richard Lindsay from University of East London, with support from Ben Clutterbuck, University of Nottingham Trent, and Jack Clough, University of East London.

On the occasion of COP28 in December 2023, the Pavilion team launched a new iteration of the Pavilion. Once again designed and curated by Richard Lindsay of the University of East London, it hosts a wide range of digital peatlands content from GPI partners worldwide to offer visitors an interactive, immersive experience in a 3D virtual pavilion with nine thematic “floors” of multi-media content. The wide range of themes – including damage and recovery, paludiculture, sustainability/finance, peatlands and people, science, and mapping and monitoring – provides a window into the world’s peatland ecosystems, fascinating spaces which are increasingly being recognised as vital for carbon, water management and biodiversity. The innovative visual design is inspired by the shape of the leaves of the peat-forming Sphagnum bog moss, a cornerstone species for this ecosystem the world over.