LocationsFrom Tri-COP Vision to Impact on the Ground: Belarus’ Peatland Restoration Success
November 13, 2024
A rewetted peatland. For Belarus, progress in peatland restoration brings not only environmental gains but also substantial economic and social benefits.
As this year’s Tri-COP season unfolds, the focus is on the deep connection between biodiversity, climate change, and land degradation. By merging COP29 on climate change, COP16 on biodiversity, and COP16 on desertification, the global community is sending a clear message: we need unified strategies and integrated solutions to address these interlinked challenges. These COPs aren’t just about discussion – they are a loud call for stronger collaboration across governments, NGOs, the private sector, and international organizations.
Belarus offers a standout example of what can be achieved through this integrated approach. The country’s efforts to restore 89,400 ha of peatlands - around 17% of their total degraded peatland area - are nothing short of extraordinary. While modest on a global scale, it’s a powerful example for other peatland-rich countries of how targeted and coordinated actions with multi-stakeholder engagements can make a real difference in a nation ranked among the top global emitters of CO2 from degraded peatlands.
Why Peatlands Matter
In a world of rising temperatures and intensifying weather extremes, restoring peatlands has never been more urgent.
When healthy, these unique landscapes play an important role in addressing some of the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges: they store carbon, support biodiversity, and provide vital services to local communities.
Cranberry pickers.
Covering just 3% of Earth’s surface, peatlands store twice as much CO2 as all the world’s forests combined. Yet, when damaged, they release stored carbon, adding to greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, emissions from drained and degraded peatlands account for approximately 5% of human-caused CO2 emissions - a staggering impact that underscores the need for restoration. To help meet the 1.5°C target, experts estimate that 50 million ha of peatlands worldwide need to be restored by 2050.
Peatlands are biodiversity hotspots, supporting a wide array of unique flora and fauna, many of which are endangered. Beyond their environmental value, peatlands also provide essential ecosystem services: they manage water flow, reduce flooding, and improve water quality - quiet roles that now more than ever, are essential as the climate crisis tightens its grip.
Delivering Integrated Impact on the Ground
Since 2007, UNDP has helped Belarus pioneer innovative, nature-based restoration strategies that combine scientific research, community involvement, and international collaboration. At the heart of these efforts is rewetting technology, which has helped revive 50 degraded peatlands across 89,400 hectares – with 83% of this work supported by UNDP.
Apart from this, UNDP supported the development of Belarus' Law on Peatlands, which provides a legal framework for the protection and sustainable use of these vital ecosystems. Nevertheless, the task is far from complete: around 500,000 ha of degraded peatland still await restoration.
Meeting Global Commitments Through Local Action
The restoration of Belarus’ peatlands aligns with the country’s commitments under international frameworks like the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Paris Agreement, and the Convention to Combat Desertification.
Peatlands are habitats for over 40% of Belarus’ bird species, 35% of insects, and 15% of wild plants listed in the national Red Book. Many migratory birds also depend on these ecosystems as vital stopovers.
The globally endangered Aquatic Warbler can rightly be called the most memorable symbol of Belarus' fen mires.
Studies revealed a stark difference between damaged and restored peatlands. For instance, only six species of waterfowl were found on degraded sites, compared to over 16 on restored ones. At Svyatoe peatland in the Hrodna region, a diverse colony of wetland birds returned soon after rewetting, turning the area into a key location for birdwatching and biodiversity research.
Belarus’ peatland restoration supports both national climate goals and the Paris Agreement. Healthy peatlands absorb about 900,000 tons of CO2 annually and release vital oxygen, while their water retention abilities safeguard local water sources. This function is critical, as the country has seen a 2% decrease in water reservoirs between 2021 and 2023.
Economic Opportunities for Local Communities
Peatland restoration protects the environment and unlocks economic opportunities for local communities, promoting sustainable livelihoods and ecotourism. Take Yelnya peatland in northeast Belarus, for example. This 20,000-ha raised bog has been restored with support from UNDP. Today Yelnya’s ecosystem services -such as water preservation and greenhouse gas reduction - are valued at around US$ 85,000 annually. These also include economic benefits from cranberry picking and ecotourism, which generate additional revenue for local communities through new jobs and business opportunities.
Additionally, peatlands serve as ideal sites for nurturing nature-based and eco-tourism.
Inspiring a Nature-Positive, Climate-Resilient Future
Belarus’ example shows that peatland restoration is both a practical and transformative solution for achieving global climate, biodiversity, and land management goals. This achievement not only underscores the feasibility of large-scale ecosystem recovery but also offers a powerful model for other countries facing similar environmental challenges.
UNDP recognizes the value of this pioneering effort and proposes it as a global platform for collaboration. By sharing knowledge and advancing innovative restoration practices, we can collectively forge a nature-positive, climate-resilient future - one in which healthy ecosystems support both people and the planet.