Moors are indispensable carbon reservoirs. This is why NABU and REWE are focusing attention on Germany's moors with a new renaturalisation project to mark "Wetlands Day".
Intact peatlands have a major impact on the climate. Although they only cover three per cent of the world's land area, wet peatlands bind a quarter of terrestrial carbon - twice as much as all the world's forests combined. This makes peatlands the most effective carbon reservoir in the world. The majority of German citizens are even aware of their positive influence (56.8 per cent), as the latest representative survey conducted by GfK for REWE and NABU shows. Nevertheless, their conservation is neglected.
Awareness is there - commitment is (still) lacking
Five per cent or less of the moors in Germany are still considered intact. Despite their great contribution to climate protection, these important wetlands lead a rather sad existence in this country. This is because many moors have been drained for agriculture and peat extraction. The fact that many respondents to the GfK survey are apparently aware of the importance of moors is all the more astonishing given that moors are now mainly found only in northern Germany. Even a third (35.7 per cent) of respondents correctly assessed the state of moors in this country - namely that just five per cent are still intact. Despite this, the issue is not on their personal agenda: 81.5 per cent of respondents have not yet been involved in environmental or climate protection (not even on a voluntary basis), and 68 per cent have not yet donated to this cause. The distribution is different for young people aged between 18 and 29: Here, 39.8 per cent state that they have already been involved in climate or environmental protection. And as many as 48 per cent have already made a donation.
New renaturalisation project
As peatlands are true climate heroes, it is all the more important to return them to their original function as climate protectors. In other words, to rewet them. Together with NABU, REWE sees great potential for effective climate protection in the renaturation of moors in line with the German government's "Natural Climate Protection Action Programme". The largest moorland protection project in Germany will therefore be launched in spring near Cuxhaven.
"After decades of cultivation, the central part of the Ahlen-Falkenberger Moor near Cuxhaven is far removed from the natural image of a moor landscape. Instead, the drained moorland emits large quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and heats up the climate even more. Together with our trusted partner REWE in the NABU climate fund, we now want to change this: With an extensive renaturalisation project, we will develop around 200 hectares in the 'Ahlenmoor' into a growing climatic raised bog and at the same time give countless endangered animal and plant species a home," says Leif Miller, Federal Managing Director of NABU.
The large-scale moorland restoration is the first project of the NABU Climate Fund, which REWE and NABU launched in spring 2022. REWE will invest a total of at least 25 million euros in the climate fund over five years.
"Wetlands Day" has been celebrated worldwide since 1997 and commemorates the fact that 52 years ago (2 February 1971), numerous countries signed an agreement on the protection of wetlands in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the initiative of UNESCO.
Both German and English comments appear here.
This is a great opportunity for REWE Group to effectively protect the climate. Everyone can help to protect the peatlands, for example by making sure to buy soil that is labelled peat-free. In my opinion, soil with peat should no longer be sold at all.