IPSC 2024: “The significance of peatlands is no longer confined to the scientific domain”
The international Peatland Science Conference (iPSC), held from 18-21 of September in Freising, Germany, dedicated 4 days to exploring scientific and practical topics concerning peatlands. Hosted by the Peatland Science Centre (PSC) from the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, the conference highlighted the growing recognition of peatlands—not only within the scientific community but also as a critical public issue—due to their role as one of the world’s most significant carbon reservoirs, thanks to their unique waterlogged, anaerobic soil conditions. In recent years, the preservation and conservation of peatlands has increasingly become a focal point of political discourse and environmental policy.
The four-day conference attracted over 400 participants, primarily from academia and representing over 20 countries. The event featured nearly 100 technical sessions, four keynote talks, and a paludiculture fair showcasing innovative biomass products from sustainably managed peatlands. Attendees engaged in scientific and practical discussions on peatland ecosystems, with the program culminating in field trips to Bavarian peatlands focused on restoration techniques, advancements in greenhouse gas emissions measurements, and paludiculture practices.
Fabrice Inkonkoy and Patrick Scheel from the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global Peatlands Initiative team presented the Global Peatlands Assessment (GPA) to the peatland scientific community during the session “Classification and mapping of organic soil”, highlighting the global extent and status of peatlands, alongside policy and governance options for their protection.
Patrick Scheel (UNEP) presenting about the Global Peatlands Assessment
The Global Peatlands Assessment (GPA), being the Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI) flagship product, sets the baseline for global peatland mapping, research, and policy. It enhances our understanding of peatlands, including their distribution, conditions, and necessary actions for their protection, restoration, and sustainable management. Designed to engage decision-makers, it offers a detailed overview of the current state of peatland policy frameworks by region and provides specific recommendations.
The GPI team also presented a poster on the upcoming “Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas”, which is an extension of the Global Peatland Map, developed in collaboration with the Greifswald Mire Centre and the Michael Succow Foundation. The Atlas is being developed to identify threats from urbanisation, industrialisation, land use, and climate change, through a comprehensive collection of thematic maps. It aims to identify both challenges and opportunities, spotlight vulnerable regions, inspire future conservation efforts, and emphasize the global potential for peatland restoration and sustainable management.
Patrick Scheel (left) and Fabrice Inkonkoy (right) with the Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas poster
The GPI team participated in a field trip to the Großkarolinenfeld Experimental Station and Koller- und Hochrunstfilze to discover innovative peatland restoration and management practices. At Großkarolinenfeld, the "MoorBewi" project advances sustainable practices, including greenhouse gas monitoring, controlled drainage systems to regulate water levels, and paludiculture across 166 hectares. In the Koller- und Hochrunstfilze bogs, restoration efforts have rewet former peat mining fields using peat dams, mineral embankments, and other advanced techniques, also providing flood protection. The excursion showcased cutting-edge approaches to peatland conservation and climate mitigation.
Eddy Covariance Flux Tower measuring gas exchanges to calculate greenhouse gas emissions at experimental station in Großkarolinenfeld peatland in Bavaria, Germany.