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Emissions from Land use, Land use change and Forestry <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Report covers emissions from\nland based ecosystems and activities, like forest land,\ncropland, grassland, wetlands and settlements. These land based activities are\npart of the LULUCF sector (Land use, Land use\nchange and Forestry), which includes agriculture as well as other land use\n(e.g. extractive activities, like peat extraction). Emissions from this sector represented\n23% of total global net anthropogenic emissions of GHGs during 2007-2016. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Special Report,\nthis sector presently functions as a carbon sink, meaning that CO2<\/sub>\nremovals were greater than the amount of GHG emitted from the sector. However,\nthe special report reveals that due to climate change the future of the LULUCF activities\nas a carbon sink is uncertain. The reduction of the sector\u2019s capacity to remove\nCO2<\/sub> from the atmosphere can be traced back to increased logging,\nsoil erosion and degradation from damaging agricultural practices, as well as conversion\nof natural lands into croplands, among other causes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The impact of these land-based anthropogenic\nactivities is exacerbated further by climate change. The report alerts us that \u201c\u2026the likelihood, intensity and duration of\nmany extreme events can be significantly modified by changes in land\nconditions.<\/em>\u201d For example, whether a peatland area is in bad conditions (e.g.\ndrained) or in healthy conditions may impact significantly the likelihood,\nintensity and duration of extreme events (e.g. floods, fires, etc.). These\nfindings confirm the importance of ecosystem restoration to combat the climate\ncrisis and improve society\u2019s resilience to extreme events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mitigation response options: protection and\nrestoration of high-carbon ecosystems <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The conservation of high-carbon ecosystems like\npeatlands is immediately effective and delivers measurable results, by keeping\nvaluable carbon stored. The protection of these healthy ecosystems should be\nfurther complemented by the restoration of degraded peatlands. Restored\npeatlands provide multiple ecosystem services and functions, but take more time\nto deliver. Nevertheless, other \u2018land\nbased options that deliver carbon sequestration in soil or vegetation, such as\nafforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, soil carbon management on mineral\nsoils, or carbon storage in harvested wood products, do not continue to\nsequester carbon indefinitely. Peatlands, on the other hand, can continue to\nsequester carbon for centuries<\/em>\u2019. Indeed, as the Report states, \u201cInvestments in land restoration can result\nin global benefits\u2026 Land restoration and rehabilitation measures improve\nlivelihood systems and provide both short-term positive economic returns and\nlonger-term benefits in terms of climate change adaptation and mitigation,\nbiodiversity and enhanced ecosystem functions and services.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Urgency of restoration measures<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Above all, the Special Report to policy-makers urges Governments to act immediately. Delayed action can result in a decreasing potential for the array of response options at the disposal of Governments, as well as limit their current and future effectiveness. The Special Report advices further that \u201cacting now may avert or reduce risks and losses, and generate benefits to society<\/em>\u201d. As time goes by and climate change intensifies, the potential for some of the land based response options decreases. For example at higher temperatures, soils have reduced capacity to act as sinks for carbon sequestration. Moreover, it should be highlighted that \u201c… Delays in avoiding or reducing land degradation and promoting positive ecosystem restoration risk long-term impacts including rapid declines in productivity of agriculture and rangelands, permafrost degradation and difficulties in peatland rewetting.<\/em><\/strong>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Related publications:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leave peat in peatlands<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ten reasons to restore Estonian mires <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/life-peat-restore.eu\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/08\/drosra-intermedia-slowinski-np-photo-mara-pakalne-4-2-1920x1280.jpg\")