Renaturalisation of wetlands slows global warming and species decline

Published connected 20/08/2025 - 15:00 GMT+2 •Updated 15:18

Europe's ecosystems should beryllium functioning again by 2050. The EU's renaturation regularisation requires nan rewetting of immoderate cultivation areas. Restoring moors is bully for ambiance protection and biodiversity, because surviving moors service arsenic c sinks. For comparison: Forests screen 1 3rd of our planet's onshore surface, moors 3 per cent. And yet moors hindrance doubly arsenic overmuch c arsenic each nan forests connected earth! However, erstwhile moors are drained, nan millennia-old c reservoirs are transformed into CO2 emitters.

In bid to curb greenhouse state emissions, nan EU is promoting nan research, mapping and renaturation of wetlands. The EU rule connected renaturation stipulates that 30 per cent of drained moors must beryllium "repaired" by nan extremity of this decade, a 4th of which will beryllium rewetted. By 2050, half of nan damaged moors are expected to beryllium "healed" - a 3rd of them done rewetting. Farmers person money aliases compensation land. The Member States are responsible for implementing nan renaturation regulation. The first plans should beryllium disposable adjacent year. 

A immense shallow h2o reservoir is being created northbound of Copenhagen. Over 200 years ago, mini ditches drained nan area. The draining caused nan h2o level to driblet by 7 metres. This releases climate-damaging c dioxide. To alteration this, a swamp reservoir is now being built.

Morton Elling useful for nan Danish Nature Agency: "The authorities has decided to trim CO2 emissions from agriculture. That is why we are raising nan groundwater level, arsenic present successful Søborg. The rewetting will trim yearly CO2 emissions by 8,000 tonnes. Last twelvemonth we started filling successful nan drainage ditches, and mini ponds are forming pinch a awesome assortment of wildlife."

Søborg Sø is nan sanction of nan 600-hectare project. 63 landowners had to beryllium convinced. Some person farmed nan onshore for generations. Horse proprietor Sally Schlichting sold portion of her land: "It has to beryllium voluntary, because if you show farmers what to do, galore will opportunity no!"

The EU rule connected nan renaturation and rewetting of cultivation onshore besides incentivises farmers. The targets, connected nan different hand, are prescribed by law. The astir urgent measures must beryllium implemented by 2032. 

At nan European Environment Agency, based successful Copenhagen, I person an assignment pinch an master connected wetlands, Yurena Lorenzo.

Euronews: "Why are wetlands and moors important?"

Lorenzo: "Over nan people of nan past millennium, we person mislaid 80 per cent of wetlands successful Europe. And 50 per cent of nan (remaining) moors successful nan EU person been damaged by drainage." 

Euronews: "Why is drainage a problem?"

Lorenzo: "If you return nan h2o distant from nan moors, ample amounts of c are released. Europe is nan 2nd largest emitter of greenhouse gases from drained moors successful nan world aft Indonesia. That is alarming. So we request to transmission nan h2o backmost into nan moors to combat ambiance change. For me, moors and wetlands are nature's superheroes. They are location to 40 per cent of nan world's works and animal diversity."

Euronews: "The EU Restoration Regulation precocious came into force. What happens now?"

Lorenzo: "The personnel states must adopt their restoration plans by 2027 astatine nan latest." 

Euronews: "Are nan objectives for renaturation and rewetting formulated successful nan EU regularisation recommendations aliases binding targets?"

Lorenzo: "It is nan very first clip that we person a Europe-wide, legally binding rule (in this area) pinch deadlines. These are quantifiable renaturalisation targets that are linked to a timeline."