Thank you for contacting me about our peatlands.
Peatlands are an iconic feature of our landscapes and are the UK’s largest stores of carbon. They also provide vital ecosystem services, supplying over a quarter of the UK’s drinking water, decreasing flood risk, and providing food and shelter for rare wildlife. When peat is extracted or becomes degraded, the carbon stored inside the bog is released as carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change. With only 13% of them in a near-natural state, I welcome that the Government’s 2021 England Peat Action Plan sets out how it intends to restore, sustainably manage, and protect our peatlands.
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