Peatlands Pavilion shortlisted for prestigious nature award

The Peatlands Pavilion - which showcased at last year's Conference of the Parties (COP 26) climate change talks in Glasgow - provides both a physical and virtual platform to raise awareness of the importance of preserving and restoring peatlands, which are a key means of carbon capture.

The pavilion doubles as a space to exchange knowledge and experience of successful peatland policy, practice, research and innovation reflecting the value of peatlands and their role in the fight against environmental degradation.

The ongoing project is run under the direction of the University's head of environmental and conservation research, Richard Lindsay (pictured in main image), supported by Jack Clough, research assistant for the Sustainable Research Institute (SRI), and MA students at the University. The team developed the space with the Global Peatlands Initiative, Wetlands International, Greifswald Mire Centre, IUCN UK Peatlands Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme.

The Virtual Peatlands Pavilion provides a legacy beyond COP26 as a knowledge hub for the public and stakeholders as well as a place to share best practice and approaches needed to scale up and connect partners working across the world to protect, restore, and sustainably manage peatlands.

This innovative project is now one of 50 finalists across 10 categories from around the UK to be shortlisted in the Nature and Climate Action Award section in RSPB Scotland's annual Nature of Scotland Awards.

In its 11th year, the Nature of Scotland Awards celebrate the inspirational people, projects, groups, and organisations working hard to protect Scotland’s precious natural heritage.

Speaking about the awards, Mr Lindsay said: "This time last year, Scotland was the global focus for climate action at COP26, which was also the venue for the first ever Peatland Pavilion at an inter-governmental treaty event. 

"The Scottish Government and Scottish partners were hugely supportive and instrumental in making the Pavilion such a success, so we are delighted that our Pavilion has been shortlisted for this award because it really felt like the Scottish environmental community embraced the concept and intent of this Pavilion."

This prestigious event will take place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Thursday, 17 November 2022, hosted by naturalist and TV presenter Lolo Williams and TV presenter and radio host Arlene Stuart.

Peatlands cover three per cent of the Earth's land surface yet store more carbon than all the world's plant biomass combined.

As a result of land-use pressures, peatlands globally are in a poor state, emitting carbon rather than storing it. Peatlands represent the UK's most extensive semi-natural habitat and largest soil-carbon store, but 80 per cent of UK peatlands are damaged.

Globally, damaged peatlands emit more than five per cent of all anthropogenic greenhouse gases.