New funding boost to protect England's iconic peatlands - Defra

£47 million new government funding to protect and improve peat will reduce carbon emissions, support nature recovery and boost rural economy

Thousands of hectares of vital peatland will be better protected and managed thanks to nearly £50 million in new funding announced today (Monday 29 June). This will help to reduce carbon emissions, better protect rural communities from the risks of wildfire and flooding, and support local economies.

England’s peat soils store more than half the country’s terrestrial carbon and are a powerful nature-based solution against climate change. But following centuries of drainage to make way for agriculture, our peat soils are drying out, causing the organic matter they contain to decompose and release carbon into the atmosphere.

Today, 80% of England’s peatlands are in a dry and degraded state. By restoring and re-wetting peat, we can lock more carbon in the ground, support wildlife, increase resilience to drought and better protect communities from flooding.