New insights into GHG emissions from peatlands in the Neman River Basin
A study recently published in the Journal of Environmental Management by a team from the Bialystok University of Technology, Centre for Climate Research SGGW (Poland), Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania) and the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) examines peatlands in the Neman River basin.
Major Findings
The study estimates that peatlands in the NRB emit approximately 22 (11–36) Mt CO2eq year⁻¹. For comparison, the Bełchatów power plant in Poland, widely known as a major CO2 source, emitted 26 Mt in 2023. However, official National Inventory Reports (NIRs) often underestimate these emissions. This is largely due to the reliance on simplified IPCC Tier 1 and Tier 2 emission factors that fail to account for specific regional bio-ecological conditions and management practices.
The highest median emissions were identified in:
- Belarus (11,3 Mt CO2eq year⁻¹),
- Lithuania (9,7 Mt CO2eq year⁻¹),
- drained grasslands and croplands, which remain the primary drivers of GHG fluxes in the region.
The study concludes that current land management, specifically the drainage of peatlands for agriculture and forestry, undermines ecological resilience and climate goals. To align with the EU Nature Restoration Law, the authors advocate for:
- Harmonized emission factors: Countries within the same ecoregions should apply consistent, updated and region-specific EFs.
- Priority restoration: Rewetting approximately 53,000 ha of high-priority sites could reduce GHG fluxes by over 1 Mt CO2eq annually.
- Economic transition: A gradual shift from intensive agriculture on organic soils to sustainable alternatives, such as paludiculture, is essential for long-term ecosystem stability.
This research underscores that restoring the “wetness” of drained peatlands is not just a biodiversity necessity, but a crucial climate mitigation strategy that can no longer be ignored in national carbon budgets.
Reference: Kamocki, A. K., Manton, M., Jepsen, M. R., Stachowicz, M., Antochów, A., Grygoruk, M., & Banaszuk, P. (2025). Estimations of GHG emissions from drained peatlands: Accountability in the trans-border Neman River basin. Journal of Environmental Management 395, 127797.
