Peatland project begins in Cambridgeshire to capture 4,000 tonnes of carbon
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The Peatland Progress initiative has begun its project to seal 4,000 tonnes of carbon by creating a wetland. Launched on 23 June last year as part of a 5-year National Lottery Heritage Fund project, the initiative aims to combat climate change and biodiversity loss, bring people closer to nature, and improve their well-being in the Cambridgeshire Fens near the town of Cambridge in the UK.
The Peatland Progress initiative is the first prominent experiment in wet farming. It was awarded £8m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to safeguard biodiversity across the Great Fen in Cambridgeshire.
Peatlands play a vital role as natural carbon sinks. They absorb CO2 emissions from the air and lock them in the soil. A study published in Nature Geoscience reveals, “In Europe, peatlands store approximately five times more carbon than forests.”
However, the study also underscored a pressing issue: peatlands are getting drier, leading to carbon emissions into the atmosphere instead of being stored. This alarming trend highlights the increasing urgency of restoring and safeguarding these landscapes.
Also read: Heriot-Watt University uses AI to accelerate carbon capture modelling process
The project aims to combat climate change by keeping carbon within the soil. The trust funding the award money said that peatlands cover around 3% of the world’s land surface but hold around 25% of global soil carbon.
The trust also mentioned that East Anglia had lost around 99% of its wetland due to drainage, and the “Great Fen Vision” initiative is a measure to repair the damages to create a brand new 36 sq kilometres peat landscape to provide for carbon capturing and other agrarian benefits.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine increased energy prices, so the UK introduced the windfall tax. Announced in 2024, the tax charged at 35% is currently extended until 2029. According to The Telegraph, Chevron’s decision to exit the North Sea came after the chancellor Jeremy Hunt
Following the high energy prices triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK introduced the energy profits levy after speculation of a windfall tax. Currently charged at 35%, it was announced in the UK’s 2024 spring budget that the tax would be extended to the end of March 2029. The Telegraph reports that Chevron’s decision came after chancellor of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt rejected industry pleas to scrap the tax.
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