An international team of researchers have identified the most urgent unanswered questions about peatland ecosystems, providing a global roadmap which can guide future science and policy for one of the planet's most important and threatened ecosystems.
Scientists from the University of Nottingham contributed to the study published in Communications Earth & Environment (28 April 2026) that involved input from 467 participants across 54 countries to determine which research questions matter most for understanding and protecting peatlands. By surveying and analysing opinion from international peatland experts, the research highlights where knowledge gaps exist and where new information could make the biggest impact in for climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land management.
Peatlands only cover about three per cent of the Earth's land surface but store more carbon than all of its forests. When healthy, they lock away carbon for thousands of years, but drainage, fire, extraction or land-use change can quickly turn them into a large source of greenhouse gas emissions. Despite their importance, we still lack key knowledge about how peatlands respond to climate change, how to restore them effectively, and how to protect them while supporting the local and Indigenous communities who rely on them.
Peatlands are not just another habitat, but are globally significant carbon sinks, home to many unique endemic species, and support the livelihoods of communities all over the world. Their wise and sustainable use is essential, especially if we want them to keep playing a role in climate change mitigation, food security, water resources, and more. At the same time, climate change itself is putting increasing pressure on these systems.
Dr Girkin continues: "Even though their importance is clearer than ever, there's still a lot we don't fully understand about how to manage peatlands effectively. That's why collaboratively identifying the most urgent research questions really matters, as it helps focus global effort where it's needed most."
To address this challenge, the researchers carried out a global survey of peatland scientists, practitioners and policy experts from across the globe. Each of them was asked what they thought were the most pressing, unanswered questions across peatland research. This included questions around everything from ecology and hydrology to biogeochemistry, climate science and social science. The questions selected capture priorities across a range of boreal, temperate, and tropical peatlands, including those in Europe and the peat swamp forests of Southeast Asia and the Arctic tundra.
Peatlands are increasingly recognised as critical ecosystems for climate action, but we still don't have all the answers we need to manage them effectively. By identifying the most urgent research questions, this work helps focus global effort.
Interest in peatlands has grown rapidly in recent years as countries look for nature-based solutions to help meet climate targets. Peatland protection and restoration feature increasingly in national climate strategies in countries such as the UK, Ireland, Indonesia, Canada, and Finland, and peatlands are now on the agenda of international climate and biodiversity frameworks. However, the authors warn that without clear research priorities, investment risks being fragmented and short-term, potentially undermining long-term outcomes.
Restoring peatlands is not as simple as just 'rewetting'," said Dr Michelle McKeown, Lecturer in Environmental Geography at University College Cork, Ireland and co-author of the study. "There are important trade-offs, uncertainties, and regional differences that we still don't fully understand. These priority questions help ensure that peatland management is helping, not harming, climate and biodiversity goals."
Importantly, the priority questions extend beyond biophysical science. Many focus on governance, land-use decision-making, and the role of Indigenous and local knowledge in peatland management; areas that have historically received less attention in global research agendas. "Peatlands are not empty landscapes. They are lived-in, worked landscapes with deep cultural significance. This is particularly true in the tropics, where peatlands can be a resource – sometimes the only one – that provides livelihoods, so it is important that as researchers we acknowledge this and provide answers that are useful to these communities too," said Professor Angela Gallego-Sala from the University of Exeter, UK, and co-author of the study.
Dr Monika Ruwaimana, co-author of the study and Lecturer at Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia added: "As someone who grew up in tropical peatland landscapes, it is encouraging to see the global research community paying attention to these ecosystems. This progress reflects a collective effort that has developed over decades, gradually shifting perspectives on the importance of peatlands in the global carbon cycle, from local communities working in the field to international researchers and policymakers."
The authors hope the priority list will be used by the peatland research community, funding agencies, research institutions, and policymakers to guide international collaboration, investment and future research.
"Peatlands can either help stabilise the climate or accelerate its change," said Dr McKeown. "Which path we take depends on the knowledge we build, and how quickly we act on it."
