Commission of Inquiry

The aims of the Commission are to:

• Provide an authoritative set of briefings based on scientific consensus on the state of peatlands, the impacts of different activities on the ecosystem and its services, and the benefits of restoring and conserving them. The review builds on the wealth of ongoing UK research and practice initiatives to develop the best possible basis for decision-making.
• Build consensus between science, policy and practice to foster joint action for peatland conservation and restoration. The Inquiry explores mechanisms and processes for peatland conservation action, recognising the different social, economic and environmental drivers.
• Manage the process through partnership and broad ownership, facilitated through multi-sectoral engagement in the review writing, the evaluation of technical reviews and the open Inquiry as experts, stakeholders or panel members. Joint funding was encouraged to promote partnership and maximum success.

This IUCN UK Commission of Inquiry on Peatlands presents one of the most extensive assessments of peatlands undertaken in the UK to date. It identifies the state and value of peatland ecosystems and develops ways to safeguard and restore their natural capital." 

Lord Jamie Lindsay, Professor Andrew Watkinson and Sir Graham Wynne, Patrons of the IUCN UK Commission of Inquiry on Peatlands. 

The 2011 IUCN UK Commission of Inquiry on Peatlands brought together over 300 contributors from over 50 organisations drawing on a wide range of expertise from science, policy and practice. The Assessment draws together the Inquiry’s findings and clearly demonstrates the value of healthy peatlands to society, the damage which has been done to them, and the huge liability of doing nothing to repair this damage. There is also a summary available. 

It is of great concern that the Inquiry found that much of the UK’s peatlands have been damaged, with severe consequences for biodiversity and valuable ecosystem services. A significant amount of carbon is leaking into the atmosphere from drained and deteriorating peatlands. This is particularly alarming as a loss of only 5% of the carbon stored in peat would equate to the UK’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, healthy peatlands and those that have been restored and enhanced can make a positive contribution to tackling climate change.The Inquiry identified a clear strategy for action to bring our peatlands back from the brink, and pointed the way forward to avoid the social and environmental costs of further deterioration. This report makes clear the multiple benefits of peatland conservation and restoration, particularly in relation to carbon savings, cleaner drinking water, wildlife conservation and historic archive preservation.

The Commission of Inquiry was led by the IUCN UK Peatland Programme and managed through partnership. A wide range of sectors engaged in the production of scientific reviews and responded to an open consultation process. The Inquiry process was supported by discussions at two IUCN UK Peatland Programme conferences - ‘Investing in Peatlands: the Climate Challenge’ in Durham, 2010, and ‘Investing in Peatlands: Delivering Multiple Benefits’ in Stirling, 2011 - along with contributions of written and oral evidence from the Inquiry open event in Edinburgh in November 2010, organised with kind support of the University of Edinburgh. Land management organisations were closely involved in the Inquiry, and opportunities were given to those with practical peatland management experience to input to the findings.

Technical Reviews

The Programme identified the need for technical reviews on key peatland topics to assist the Commission of Inquiry. Selected topics are based on priorities identified in a web survey conducted in December 2009/January 2010 with over 120 responses from 40 organisations from science, policy and practice.

Review teams have assessed the available evidence and engaged with stakeholders to build consensus on current knowledge and practice and policy needs. The emphasis of this work is to build consensus across science, policy and practice, ultimately leading to conservation action.

Click on each topic to find out more and download each review.

State of the UK Peatlands

Peatlands and Climate Change

Peatland Biodiversity

Peatland Restoration

Impacts of Burning Management on Peatlands

Peatland Hydrology

Peatlands and the Historic Environment

Policy Options for Sustainable Management

Illustrative Economics of Peatland Restoration

Review of Public Funding of Peatland Restoration

Review of British Overseas Territories Peatlands

8 years on from the initial inquiry, there had been significant changes in government and policy and it was decided that the original 2011 report was in need of an update. Not forgetting the huge body of work that was done in 2011 to bring consensus - many of the key findings and recommendations still stand. But it was decided that there was a need to set the peatland story in an updated context.

The aim of the updated COI was to refresh the evidence base and ultimately support the big, long-term funding and policy discussions that were underway. 

The six scientific topic reports, the findings of which fed into the main Commission of Inquiry report alongside wider practical and policy contexts, have been summarised by the IUCN UK Peatland Programme:

• State of UK peatlands document - full/summary
• Funding for peatland restoration and management document - full/summary
• Peatland catchments and Natural Flood Management document - full/summary
• Peatlands and forestry document-  full/summary
• Productive lowland peatlands document - full/summary
• Biodiversity monitoring document - full/summary