Increase investment in peatland restoration

Chapter 10.2.3 Peatlands

Increase investment in peatland restoration and set a peatland restoration target.

UK Govt

Scottish Govt

Local Authorities

International

Behaviour change

Emissions reduction

The Scottish Government has committed £250m over the ten years 2020-30 for peatland restoration. This is therefore £25m yr. With an assumed cost of £1,000/ha that £25m could theoretically pay for approximately 25,000ha of restoration activity per year. So the total funding would deliver around 250,000ha of total restoration by 2030. Yet we know that we have 1.9m ha of degraded peatland, so the government investment needs to be many times greater.

At the same time, we know that while the Climate Change Committee suggests that the government needs to restore 45,000ha/year, the government target is 20,000ha and that it is also failing to deliver that and so is significantly off track to meet the 250,000ha by 2030 target.

The Scottish Government should set a peatland restoration target of at least 45,000ha/yr, aiming to increase this over time, and significantly increase the funding available through existing schemes. The additional cost would be around £25m a year. Figures from a Natural England review suggest that successful restoration of this extra 25,000ha/yr could result in an extra carbon saving of a third of a million tonnes a year.

As well as higher ambition in terms of area restored, much higher levels of funding are required. Co‑benefits include creating jobs and protecting nature.

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