Terrawatch: how much peat is there on Earth?

Swedish researchers measure the scale of peatlands, and the amount of carbon stored in them

How much of the Earth’s landmass is made of peat? We know that peatlands store as much as a quarter of all soil carbon, and if this were to be released we would face climate havoc. Until now, however, no one had made a comprehensive map of where peatlands occurred and how deep they were.

Related: Ultimate bogs: how saving peatlands could help save the planet

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