Area
Bilateral/Multilateral
Commodity Group
Oilseeds, oils and meals
Commodity
Peatlands
Date
01/03/2020
Policy Category
Other
Policy Instrument
Environmental policies
Description
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched a geospatial online tool to help countries preserve critical carbon stores known as peatland. To halt peatland degradation and effectively plan peatland restoration, FAO called for urgent mapping and monitoring activities at national level and offered recommendations for the responsible management of such lands.
Notes
Peatland conservation: The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched a geospatial on-line tool to help countries preserve critical carbon stores known as peatland. To halt peatland degradation and effectively plan peatland restoration, the agency called for urgent mapping and monitoring activities at national level and offered recommendations on how to manage peatlands. According to FAO, locating and accurately mapping peatlands via a mix of satellite and ground-based tools allows to effectively monitor changes in peatland conditions, notably their water level, thus spotting risks of fires and harmful GHG emissions. To facilitate countries access to high-quality imagery, the agency developed a state-of-the-art, open-source monitoring module. Reportedly, the tool is being successfully used in Indonesia, where it provides timely information about soil moisture trends to help detect drainage and monitor restoration efforts. Similar applications are planned in the Congo Basin and in Peru.
