Today one third of the global CO2 emissions are caused by drained and/or burned peatlands for agricultural use. Peatlands contain a high concentration of organic matter and stock twice as much carbon as forests. Europe has 265km2 of diverse peatlands, which, if they dry out, will go from being a great sink for carbon, to a huge emitter.
Carbon Connects promotes an alternative type of agriculture for wetlands, one which can sequester carbon through practices such as: raising the water table beneath the peatland and starting new types of crops or livestock farming. It will also introduce new bio-based business models developed for sustainable land management practices. They will be tested on pilot sites throughout North West Europe. AC3A is in charge of Work Package 2 Transnational implementation and demonstration which includes the monitoring of the pilot sites and the setting up of a transnational programme “Farmer-to-Farmer”. One of the sites is in Pays de la Loire – the Grand Lieu site and this is coordinated by the Regional Chamber of Pays de la Loire.
Presentation of the pilot sites and the porgress made by each one. Farmer-2-Farmer programme. Carbon Connects will reduce CO2 emissions by 50% in peatlands in North-West-Europe where current practices generate an excessive amount of emissions.
Carbon Connects is funded (60%) by INTERREG Europe du Nord-Ouest