The WaterLANDS Knowledge Site 'Landscape Finance Lab' has been busy organising and participating in various activities around mobilising finance for wetland restoration and related ecosystems over the year. Read their most important updates below!
Fourth in-person gathering of the Peatland Finance Collective
At the University of Exeter (UK) in June, Landscape Finance Lab (LFL) held the fourth in-person gathering of the Peatland Finance Collective, a knowledge-sharing collaboration for peatland landscapes in the UK and Ireland, which supports peer-learning, sector capacity building, and the development of shared models for mobilising investment into peatland restoration.
The workshop was co-designed by LFL with Naomi Oakley at Natural England, and featured, amongst others, a presentation by The Great North Bog on their green finance activities. At the workshop, participants explored the evolving investment landscape for peatlands, identifying key barriers and opportunities for blended finance, combining public, private, and philanthropic sources. It strengthened relationships across the sector, and renewed a shared commitment to coordinated market development and improved storytelling for investment.
Discussions demonstrated that while substantial public funding exists, unlocking private capital depends on improving transparency, coordination, and the ability to communicate multiple co-benefits of restoration, such as carbon storage, biodiversity, and water quality among others. A summary of discussions and key takeaways is in this report.
Launch of the Peatland Standard For Ireland
In March, Peatland Finance Ireland launched the Peatland Standard for Ireland - a pioneering, multiple ecosystem benefit credit. This voluntary certification provides landowners with the opportunity to unlock financial support to accelerate their peatland restoration efforts. These efforts are vital for reducing carbon emissions and will play a significant role in achieving Ireland's climate and biodiversity targets. The initiative aligns closely with Ireland’s Climate Action Plan - which identifies peatland restoration as a key strategy for reducing emissions - and assists Ireland in achieving its National Biodiversity Action Plan targets.
The Lab was closely involved in the Standard's development along with other WaterLANDS consortium partners such as UCD, ERINN Innovation, and the IUCN UK Peatland Programme. Learnings and insights from the process of developing the Standard, and possible applications in other European contexts, have been presented to WaterLANDS partners in knowledge sharing sessions. Read more on the launch of the Peatland Standard for Ireland.
Peatland Breakthrough Initiative
Over the last few months, in the lead up to COP30, LFL has also been involved in the Development Phase of the global 'Peatland Breakthrough initiative' alongside a number of other WaterLANDS partners including Wetlands International and the Michal Succow Foundation (Greifswald Mire Centre).
The Peatland Breakthrough is a high-ambition global effort seeking to achieve systemic changes in land use to protect and restore peatlands on a large scale, through targeted investment and action.
The group have been building momentum by establishing a shared vision, enhancing public awareness, developing robust targets and engaging a wide range of public, private and community stakeholders. The Development Phase is culminating at a high level official side event next week at the UNFCCC COP30 climate talks. This official side event is a pre-launch milestone for the Peatland Breakthrough, and a call to action and commitment to scale up efforts towards the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of peatlands. Participants will be introduced to the Peatland Breakthrough and its Science-Based Framework for Global Targets and Guiding Principles. The event will also mark the opening of its endorsement process. Find out more about the side event here.
