An Effective MRV solution for Peatlands using an Integrated Ratified EO Solution (EMPIRES)

Around 12% of land in the UK is covered by peatlands -- nearly three million hectares. Peatlands are a natural store of carbon but centuries of exploitation, particularly draining the peat to plant forests or grow crops, have led to damage and degradation, meaning that they are now a net source of UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and, taken as a whole, are losing sequestered peat at a rate equal to that of all UK industry, excepting energy.

Restoration of these peatlands would help the UK to meet its ambitious targets to reduce its emissions by 78% by 2035, but funding restoration projects is an expensive business. It is clear that targets will not be met without the considerable support of private investment, including through possible investments in carbon markets. This is recognised globally and a central mechanism under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, a key topic for COP26\.

A key problem that needs to be solved is how to measure carbon loss over peatlands. In this project, we take advantage of a number of independent scientific advancements to develop an integrated, robust, low-cost solution to the measurement of carbon loss over peatlands that is capable of attracting large-scale private investment and can help governments take full advantage of peatlands in their own goals of achieving net zero.

In healthy peatlands, the surface responds seasonally to changes in water and gas volumes by rising and falling, a phenomenon known as "bog breathing". Terra Motion Limited, a spin-out company from the University of Nottingham have developed a novel technique that uses free satellite radar data to measure this motion to millimetric accuracy for peatlands at local, regional and national scale. Ongoing research led by the University of Nottingham and the Thurso-based Environmental Research Institute funded by NatureScot recently showed the huge potential of their APSIS land motion product for the monitoring of peatland condition.

In parallel to this research, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology have established the key role that water table depth has in driving emissions and have developed cutting-edge instrumentation that can be placed at key locations across a bog that can report on the water level remotely and accurately.

Through a judicious integration of these technologies, the EMPIRES project will demonstrate a carbon MRV system that will increase the credibility, confidence and uptake of peatland restoration and improve carbon sequestration.

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