Lustrous bog-moss (Sphagnum subnitens). Credit Robert Goodison
Peatland Code Governance
The Peatland Code governance structure is made up of a Technical Advisory Board (TAB) and Executive Board (EB) which each have terms of references in place to confirm appointment, membership, and frequency of meetings. Members are required to declare any conflict of interest when joining which is then reviewed annually as part of the IUCN UK Peatland Programme conflict of interest policy. To ensure transparency, membership and meeting minutes are published and can be viewed on the TAB and EB webpages.
How decisions are made
All proposed new versions, updates to methodology clarifications or process changes under the Peatland Code are submitted to the Technical Advisory Board (TAB) for consideration. Following advice from the TAB, recommendations are then presented to the Executive Board (EB) for comment and final decision. Decisions are made by majority vote; in the event of a split decision, the EB Chair holds the casting vote. For more information see our Peatland Code Review Procedure.
The Peatland Code team prepares discussion papers setting out specific questions or requested outputs from Working Groups for review by TAB members. These papers are circulated by the Secretariat to TAB members two weeks in advance of TAB meetings and are also shared with members of the Market and Investment Forum for feedback. Any feedback received is anonymised and shared with TAB members. All questions, actions, advice, and feedback are recorded internally in the decision‑making log.
Following approval by the EB, methodology changes and version updates are subject to a 30‑day public consultation period. Further details are available our Public Consultation page.
Peatland Code Working Groups
As part of the Peatland Code’s commitment to continuous improvement, we are launching a new series of Peatland Code Working Groups. This to allow for a wide range of experts to advise on specific topics to ensure the Peatland Code remains accessible and robust. The outputs of these working groups will be presented to the Peatland Code Technical Advisory Board and the Executive Board for decision on implementation of the outputs of the working groups.
The first working group will focus on Verification and improving the pre-verification survey methodology, including exploring the optional use of drones in the verification process.
Meetings scheduled:
- Thursday 13th November 9:30 - 11:am
- Wednesday 26th November 12:30-2pm
- Wednesday 10th December 2:00-3:30pm
Grievances and appeals
The IUCN UK PP is committed to ensure that the grievance and appeal process is as transparent and fair as possible.
For information on how to make a grievance or appeal a recent grievance see here.
Annual Report
The Peatland Code was launched in 2015 and so far our impact so far
- Over 400 projects registered accounting for 58,860.83 ha of peatlands
- 176 projects validated
- 2 verified projects with 10 currently undergoing verification assessment
- 12.8 million tCO2e planned emission reductions
Key projects in 2024/2025
We collaborated with the Scottish Forestry to develop template agreements for buying and selling units from Peatland Code Woodland Carbon Code and projects.
The templates will help buyers and sellers understand the risks and liabilities they should consider.
Biodiversity quantification:
The project was funded through the Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland.
We have been working in collaboration with the Scottish Forestry to develop a methodology for biodiversity quantification and monitoring.
Nature-based activities such as peatland restoration and woodland creation and hold enormous potential to support biodiversity alongside tackling the climate crisis.
We recently applied for a further round of funding from the Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland to continue developing this work.
Verification Methodology working groups
In Autumn 2025 we started a series of working groups to improve the verification guidance for project developers. The improved methodology is now out for piloting,
Financial information
Income for 2024 to 2025
| Source | Amount | Notes |
| Government support | ||
| NatureScot Peatland ACTION | £31,149.00 | |
| Defra | £50,000.00 | |
| Philanthropic grants | £123,654 | Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Sigrid Rausing Trust. Baillie Gifford, South West Water |
| Other grants | ||
| Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland | £37,723 | |
| Consultancy and advice | £30,231 | Projects: Waterlands, NEIRF, Annual Verification Methodology and Saltmarsh Code |
| UK Land Carbon Registry | ||
| Levies on issuance or conversion | £30,000.00 | |
| Total | £302,757.00 |
Cost for 2024 to 2025
| Cost | Amount |
| Staff | £189,101.00 |
| Other administration | £3,693.00 |
| Research, Development and legal | £67,910.00 |
| Web and resources | £4,330.00 |
| Total | £265,034.00 |
