Mapping the World's Peatlands: The Challenge of Tracking Hidden Carbon Sinks

Peatlands cover only a small fraction of Earth's land but store nearly a third of all soil carbon. When these ecosystems are drained for agriculture or development, they release massive amounts of greenhouse gases, contributing up to 10% of annual human caused CO2 emissions. Recent research highlights a critical gap in our climate data: we still have not mapped all the world's peatlands. From the Congo Basin to the Arctic, hidden carbon stores make it difficult for nations to create accurate greenhouse gas inventories and effective conservation strategies.