Peatlands at the Convention on Wetlands, COP15
This year’s 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Wetlands took place from 23rd to 31st July 2025 in the breathtaking setting of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Over 170 Contracting Parties convened to reaffirm their commitments to wetland conservation and wise use.
Peatlands are a precious type of wetland that cover just 3% of the earth’s surface yet store twice as much carbon as all forests. They are hotspots for biodiversity, home to many rare and endangered species and provide critical ecosystem services that safeguard water resources and livelihood security. However, peatlands are being degraded at alarming rates, with over 50 million hectares already drained for agriculture, forestry, infrastructure and peat extraction. Drained peatlands are responsible for approximately 4% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Protecting and restoring peatlands is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement and Global Biodiversity Framework.
On the 30th of July, the Ministry of the Environment of Peru and UNEP brought together Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI) partners, donors, and pilot countries during the side event ‘The Global Peatlands Initiative: Advancing South-South Cooperation for Peatlands’ in a dynamic and interactive event to share countries’ latest initiatives, challenges and commitments to peatlands and to discuss how global cooperation can make them stronger.
The event, moderated by Juan Carlos Vásquez, head of the Biodiversity, People, and Landscapes Unit at UNEP, was opened by inspiring voices. Firstly, Musonda Mumba (Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands) highlighted the critical role of peatlands for biodiversity, livelihoods, and climate action, and enthusiastically endorsing the Peatland Breakthrough, “This is important, and this is timely and really a moment where we advance.” Alban Kisifi (BMUKN, Germany) followed, expressing “The Peatland Breakthrough, headed by the GPI, is one of those landmarks which we as the German Government would like to see that it reaches the ends of where we have peatlands in the world”.
Dr. Julie Mulonga (Wetlands International) and Cisca Devereux (UNEP-GPI) laid the groundwork with presentations on this initiative and the GPI’s 10-year strategy. A high-level panel then energized the dialogue with insights from Marco Antonio Arenas Aspilcueta (Director of Biodiversity, Ministry of Environment, Peru), Jean Jacques Bambuta (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Oscar Manrique Betancourt (Colombia), and Paule Patricia Okemba Apendi (Republic of the Congo), alongside a video intervention from Agus Justianto (International Tropical Peatland Centre/Indonesia).
The closing was filled with hope: Peru will take the lead as the champion country for the Peatland Breakthrough, while delegates from Brazil, Canada, Uganda, and Venezuela reinforced the global call to prioritize peatlands.
The event was live-streamed on YouTube and shown through the Virtual Peatlands Pavilion on Floor 9.
At the side event ‘From Resolution to Action: Youth Leadership and the Future of the Convention on Wetlands’, co-organised by GPI partners Youth Engaged in Wetlands (YEW), RE-PEAT, as well as the GPI and UNEP, peatlands took their place in a global youth conversation on wetland futures. Moderated by Cisca Devereux (UNEP-GPI), the session highlighted intergenerational collaboration as a cornerstone of future wetland stewardship.
UNEP’s Deputy Executive Director, Elizabeth Mrema, opened the event, followed by Dr. Musonda Mumba, who shared her inspiring journey from a young Ramsar intern to leading global wetland conservation efforts. She emphasized the importance of empowering youth not only as future leaders, but as active change-makers today.
Youth speakers from Latin America, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Europe showcased grassroots actions for wetlands protection and restoration. In an intergenerational dialogue, UNEP’s Juan Carlos Vásquez outlined how the GPI is training the next generation of peatland scientists, creating youth-friendly spaces, and embedding youth voices into governance efforts that are shaping the GPI’s 10-year strategy.
Between the plenary sessions and side events, delegates from the Americas regional group gathered informally to exchange experiences on peatland conservation and strengthen connections. Representatives from Colombia, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, Canada, and Bolivia took part in the meeting, which was convened by UNEP and Wetlands International. The atmosphere was energetic and enthusiastic, with participants welcoming a dedicated space to focus on peatlands. They reflected on the diverse names used across the region – bofedales, pantanos, aguajales, páramos, turberas, among others – and highlighted peatlands’ vital role in climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and supporting livelihoods.
During the conference, we celebrated World Bog Day – check out this fun video from our team member, Cisca Devereux, and enthusiastic COP15 attendees!
Although often overlooked, peatlands gained visibility during COP15 as critical ecosystems. Thanks to the organization of these side-events and the efforts of our partners, peatlands were placed on the global wetland agenda, with renewed momentum to prioritize their protection and restoration. The commitments made in Zimbabwe mark an important turning point, from Peru’s leadership in the Peatland Breakthrough to the energy of youth movements and the bilateral meetings with additional member states. This momentum now carries forward to other international milestones this year and towards UNFCCC COP30, where the Peatland Breakthrough will be showcased.