New research has uncovered vast peat deposits in Colombia’s Amazon, which could store carbon equivalent to 70 years of the country’s emissions. Conducted by University of California, Santa Cruz and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, the study involved extracting sediment cores from 100 wetland sites across the Amazon basin. The peatlands are significantly more carbon-dense than the surrounding rainforests, holding four to ten times more carbon, offering substantial potential to mitigate climate change by acting as large-scale carbon sinks.
These peatlands can benefit global efforts to combat climate change by helping to regulate atmospheric CO2 levels. By preserving these areas, we can prevent the release of large amounts of stored carbon, which would otherwise contribute to global warming. Furthermore, these peatlands play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity, supporting ecosystems that provide essential services to local communities, such as water purification and flood control. Protecting these peatlands will not only help address climate change but also preserve valuable ecosystems that are integral to the health of the planet. More