Online Global Peatland Map, Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas, Peatland Story Maps
UNEP’s GPI supports work to map the distribution, extent and state of peatlands worldwide, which is essential for effective conservation efforts.
The conservation of peatlands is essential for the protection of biodiversity, the climate, and people’s livelihoods; but this requires knowing where they are. Often, they are difficult to map, especially when they are remote, difficult to access, or hidden by different land cover types. Various regions and countries still urgently require mapping and monitoring of their peatlands, particularly in developing countries.
The Online Global Peatland Map, launched by the Global Peatlands Initiative and its partners, enhances our core knowledge of the location and extent of peatlands worldwide, and serves as the foundational map for the Global Peatlands Assessment. This consolidates the best available science to provide a comprehensive global overview of the State of the World’s Peatlands. Developed in collaboration with UNEP's World Environment Situation Room, this interactive map allows users to explore its features by zooming in and out, download the dataset of the Global Peatland Database, and delve into eleven thematic layers, including peatland extent per country, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity hotspots, peatlands within protected areas, fire hotspots, among others.
As a flagship product of the GPI, the Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas serves as a vital tool for decision-makers, providing data, evidence, and clear insights into the global state of peatlands. This Atlas presents a comprehensive overview of peatland hotspots across key topics, including protection, degradation, biodiversity, and environmental risks. This resource aims to bridge the gap between science and policy to enable informed decision-making that prioritises protection and sustainable management.
Furthermore, a set of "Peatlands in the Continents" Story Maps is being delivered by the GPI and its partners to zoom in on regionally specific peatlands data. The first ones to go live are the Asian Peatlands Story Map, and the European Peatlands Story Map with key facts on peatland distribution, peatland degradation, and options for action in a visually intuitive, easy-to-navigate format.
