Peatlands are a powerful nexus linking biodiversity, climate, water and community resilience. As a nature-based solution, peatlands play a critical role in climate mitigation and adaptation by sequestering carbon and buffering impacts of droughts and floods. Peatlands are important for biodiversity as wetland habitats for resident and migrating birds, and refugia for many rare and endangered species. However, the pressure on these ecosystems is immense, with agriculture  and forestry among the main drivers of global peatland loss.

This side event will include the following elements:

• Exploring how peatland landscape protection, restoration and sustainable use can benefit of biodiversity, climate and people, playing a critical role in achieving the Biodiversity Plan
• Showcasing insightful and inspirational stories and case studies of peatland conservation, restoration and management from South America, Africa, Europe and Asia
• Providing practical routes for including peatlands in NBSAPs that reinforce the links between biodiversity and climate action, deliver multiple targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework, and enhance synergies with other multilateral environmental agreements.

Highlights will include:

• Peatlands restoration and management on Lake Junín, also known as Lake Chinchaycocha. Located in the Central Andes of Peru, Lake Junín is a peatland rich ecosystem valuable as a carbon sink, and for local economies, functioning as pastures for llamas and alpacas, and representing an invaluable cultural heritage.  
• The launch of a new 3-year global project "Livelihoods from Sustainable Peatland Landscapes". This will promote sustainable peatland management through activities in Rwanda and Uganda, and contribute to global knowledge exchange on best practices such as paludiculture (productive farming and agroforestry on wet and rewetted peatlands) and sustainable financing.
• The importance of peatland ecosystem restoration in Indonesia for climate mitigation and the role of swamp forests for biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood development for local communities.