Representatives of European countries meet in Ireland to discuss development of peatlands

Representatives of several European countries seeking to create momentum for peatlands restoration, conservation and sustainable management met in Dublin yesterday (May 8). 

The Development Meeting brought together policy makers, experts and high-profile speakers to discuss the tremendous efforts being carried out for peatlands across European countries. 

Groups including the German Federal Ministry for the Environment and the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, among others, discussed the next steps for the European Peatlands Initiative (EPI), which aims to drive bog restoration across Europe. 

The meeting marks a significant milestone for the EPI as it transitions from the exploratory phase to the preparatory phase. 

It's hoped the initiative will be sharped and defined over the next year before launch in 2024. 

Participants at the meeting also visited a blanket bog restoration project in the Wicklow Mountains National Park, 60 hectares of which were re-wetted to increase storage levels by 50-90 litres. 

This public-private project collaboration is one of the first of its kind in Ireland for water restoration and the protection of biodiversity. 

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, said, "I firmly believe that collaboration and dedication are key to advancing peatland conservation and restoration. The Dublin meeting is poised to become a pivotal milestone for the European Peatlands Initiative, marking the beginning of a transformative and inspiring new chapter in our shared commitment to a sustainable future." 

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Pippa Hackett, said, "It's important for us to drive peatland conservation and preservation, as a shared effort with governments across Europe. The meeting in Dublin will serve as an important turning point for the European Peatlands Initiative as we move into the next phase of its creation.”