Peatland emissions monitoring is set to become more accurate following the release of a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on July 31, 2026. The report, Peat-Emit: Supporting Developing Economies to Estimate and Report Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Organic Soils, introduces updated emission factors and identifies critical data gaps that have long limited reliable greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting, particularly in developing countries. Although peatlands occupy only 3-4% of the Earth’s land surface, they store around 30% of the world’s soil organic carbon, an estimated 450-650 gigatonnes, nearly twice the carbon contained in all global forest biomass.

FAO Updates Emission Factors for Greater Accuracy

The report provides revised emission factors, which estimate the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) released from organic soils under different land-use and drainage conditions.

• More accurate emission factors enable countries to prepare stronger greenhouse gas inventories and improve transparency in climate reporting.
• According to the FAO, these updates are especially important for developing economies, where research-based data on peatland emissions has historically been limited.

The report was developed under the Peat-Emit project, led by the FAO in collaboration with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology through the Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Forests (AIM4Forests) programme.

Key Findings from the FAO Report

Researchers also worked with the University of Leicester and an international steering committee representing peatland experts from Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and Latin America & the Caribbean.

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New Evidence Strengthens Climate Understanding

The peatland emissions monitoring report significantly expands the available scientific evidence.

The project compiled 560 emissions and removals data points from developing countries, about 45% more evidence than was available for the 2013 IPCC Wetlands Supplement. In warm-climate Asia, the scientific evidence has increased to roughly 2.5 times previous levels, allowing major improvements to default emission estimates for the region.

The findings confirmed that drained organic soils remain major sources of carbon dioxide emissions, while fertilized peatlands may emit more nitrous oxide than previously estimated. Researchers also found that methane emissions from peat fires could be lower than earlier assumptions and identified water table depth as one of the most important factors influencing greenhouse gas emissions.

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Significant Data Gaps Remain

• Most available data from developing economies still comes from Southeast Asia, leaving Africa, Latin America, and several parts of Asia significantly underrepresented.
• The report also notes limited field measurements for methane, nitrous oxide, restored peatlands, managed peatlands, and peat fire emissions.

These gaps make it difficult to produce fully representative national greenhouse gas inventories and assess the effectiveness of peatland restoration efforts.

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Better Monitoring Is Critical for Climate Action

The FAO emphasizes that expanding long-term field measurements, improving monitoring methodologies, strengthening international data sharing, and investing in scientific research are essential for more reliable greenhouse gas reporting. Enhanced peatland emissions monitoring will not only improve climate inventories but also help governments prioritize conservation and restoration strategies that protect these vital carbon-rich ecosystems and support global climate mitigation goals.

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