Georeferenced data to mitigate GHG emissions from cultivated peat soils

Peat fields are the largest source of greenhouse gases in agriculture in Finland. The most cost-effective way to implement emission reductions in agriculture would be to target them to peatlands that have already lost their production capacity and are not currently in food production. The aim of the project is to map from the peatland area among the peatlands those sites that are best suited for producing emission reductions in terms of both hydrology and economic boundary conditions, and thus help to target climate action effectively. The project produces regional figures for thick and thin peat peat fields that are insignificant for food production. An estimate of the abstraction potential of the blocks based on topographic variables such as elevation models and ground distance from the groundwater surface is added to the mapping. The analysis contributes to the restoration of peatlands and wetland cultivation by identifying areas where test platforms for abstraction operations can be established initially and possible concentrations later.