INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF PEATLANDS FOR BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE(ABSTRACT)

摘要

This paper will review current understanding in relation to carbon stocks in peatlands, ongoing deliberations under global environment conventions relating to peatlands, biodiversity and climate change and finally describe practical experience in promoting sustainable management practices for peatlands. Peat swamp forests and other peatland areas contain 20-35% of the carbon in the terrestrial biosphere/soils while at the same time supporting a very high diversity of species, many of which are unique to this ecosystem. Peatlands constitute a large carbon reservoir in the terrestrial biosphere. It has been estimated that northern peatlands alone contain more than 500Xl0~(15)gC and tropical peatlands are estimated to contain a further 100-150Xl0~(15) gC. Furthermore carbon sequestration in peatlands over the last 5000 years, at about 100 Tg/ yr., is equivalent to 100 years of fossil fuel consumption. However, estimates are preliminary, due to lack of agreement concerning the definition of peatlands, varying estimates on the total extent of peatlands and lack of data concerning the depth of peat deposits. Despite the uncertainties on the overall stock - there is clear evidence that as a result of inappropriate management techniques, peatlands are changing from a carbon sink and store to a significant carbon source and may have a significant role in enhancing the greenhouse effect and associated global climatic impacts. There has been increasing interest in the issue of peatlands biodiversity and climate change among the research community as well as intergovernmental negotiators working within the framework of the UN Framework Convention on Climate change (UNFCCC), Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Conference of Parties of the Ramsar Convention recognised the importance of peatlands in relation to climate change in its decision on climate change and wetlands in November 2002. Peatland issues were also highlighted in deliberations at the CBD Subsidiary Body on Scientific Technical and technological Advice (SBSTTA) in November 2003 and the UNFCCC COP9 in December 2003. It is hoped that peatland and climate change issues will be formally recognised in the decision on Biodiversity and Climate Change to be approved at the CBD COP7 In February 2004. It is anticipated that a higher recognition of peatlands within the global environmental conventions will lead to enhanced consideration of sustainable management in national policy and decision making as well as site management. The paper will review recent practical experience in developing sustainable practices in China (management high altitude peatlands used for grazing in the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau), Indonesia (Restoration of peatlands developed and abandoned for agriculture), Malaysia (peatlands degraded through unsustainable forestry practices) and Russia (reducing impacts of oil and gas development on Siberian peatlands). The experiences have been documented as part of a global project on "Integrated management of peatlands for biodiversity and climate change" implemented by The Global Environment Centre, Wetlands International and a range of other partners in the period 2003-2006 with funding from UNEP-GEF and CIDA.