Peatlands are one of Scotland’s most important natural assets in terms of the ecosystem services they provide. They have the potential to play a role in climate change mitigation : in general terms, healthy peatlands act as a sink for greenhouse gases, while degraded peatlands can act as a large source of carbon dioxide. Scottish peatlands also support biodiversity of internationally recognised significance; are important for climate change adaptation; water quality and flow; and are culturally valuable. This briefing describes the ecosystems services provided by peatlands in Scotland, with particular emphasis on their importance for climate change mitigation.
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Published: 20 April 2012