Scottish SMEs can offset their carbon emissions with the help of nature-based solutions, says Freddie Ingleby, of Caledonian Climate.
Last year saw 12 named storms recorded in the UK, the highest number since records began in 2015.
COP29 was held against the backdrop of Storm Ashley, which left 250 homes in Scotland without power, mass travel disruption and several injured. The increased frequency and volatility of extreme weather events in the UK and the wider world bring the climate crisis into sharp focus, and the need for effective nature-based solutions is at an all-time high.
Peatland restoration: an answer
Peatlands store up to 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2, making their restoration a flagship nature-based solution to climate change.
With the ability to absorb and store carbon, enhance biodiversity and improve freshwater availability, revitalised peatlands hold vast benefits for businesses committed to delivering high impact projects, alongside their emission reduction strategies.
Let’s start with some figures. Degraded peatlands account for a significant 4% of the UK’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, releasing up to 25 tonnes of CO2 per hectare each year. As it stands, up to 80% of Scotland’s peatlands are damaged.
Restoring damaged peatlands serves to capture these carbon emissions and contribute to global emission reduction targets.
Healthy peatlands are also an incredibly rich habitat for a variety of species: the water-logged conditions create the ideal environment for many rare and endangered invertebrates, birds and mammals. With declining UK biodiversity levels, peatland restoration builds on natural ecosystems and allows a broad range of species to thrive.
Carbon offsetting
Peatland restoration forms part of the UK voluntary carbon market, its natural CO2 sequestration properties serving to generate carbon units that can be purchased by businesses seeking to compensate for their emissions.
Each carbon unit purchased corresponds to the reduction of one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) emissions entering the planet’s atmosphere.
With increasing pressure placed on UK businesses to achieve a position of carbon neutrality, investing in peatland restoration is a relatively low-risk, cost-effective and long-term solution.
While the priority for all industries must be to reduce their own emissions first, it is widely accepted that total emission reductions are not possible. The voluntary carbon market enables businesses to balance their residual emissions while funding much-needed climate initiatives.
The Peatland Code is an independently verified certification standard for UK peatland restoration projects created by the IUCN UK Peatland Programme.
Carbon credits generated from these projects are accepted within annual voluntary emissions reporting and include reports on several bespoke measurement options such as water quality markers, biodiversity metrics, and detailed site-specific statistics, allowing businesses to plan and report on their ongoing carbon strategy in a high-impact, high-integrity manner.
Peatland Code verified projects offer a science-based, internationally recognised solution. They enhance a company’s environmental credentials, strengthen tender applications in an increasingly competitive landscape and create opportunities that would otherwise remain unexplored.
Biodiversity Credits
Much like carbon credits before them, biodiversity credits represent a net positive biodiversity gain.
Developments that drive the loss of wildlife, such as roadworks, housing projects and mining, can be compensated for by funding conservation action that supports habitats to thrive and grow elsewhere.
With a requirement to outweigh the initial harm done to biodiversity, thereby allowing the ‘net gain’ designation, businesses must be confident in the measurable impact on wildlife.
Peatland restoration is therefore a strong contender for biodiversity credits. The sponge-like, water-logged conditions not only serve as a rich habitat but enhance water quality and protect against flooding and the potential risks this holds for community and nature across the UK. While nascent in their development north of the border, it is worthwhile keeping a close eye on this space as it develops further, both in the voluntary sector and within the planning frameworks.
A thriving workforce
Beyond this, funding such projects can have a positive impact on staff as well as the planet. Increasingly, workers are demanding more sustainable initiatives from their employers, with 65% reportedly being more likely to work for a company with robust environmental policies.
Supporting peatland recovery offers tangible evidence of a business’s environmental values and mission. With the chance to visit sites and review reporting documents, staff can be confident that their company is making a real difference to the planet, as well as boosting recruitment, staff retention and satisfaction levels.
While the climate challenge we face is vast, the good news is that peatland restoration brings almost immediate benefits, at scale. Within a few months, carbon emissions are reduced, habitats are created, and peatland’s natural role of absorbing carbon dioxide is restored.
Caledonian Climate collaborates with landowners and businesses to deliver fully scoped, expertly conducted and maintained peatland projects that are underpinned by the Peatland Code, ensuring both parties can confidently achieve their long-term environmental goals.
