25 July 2008

Wetlands Loss Fuelling CO2 Feedback Loop

Wetlands hold massive stores of carbon -- an amount in CO2 equivalent comparable to the carbon content of today's entire atmosphere.

However, wetlands, including peatlands, continue to be converted to other uses around the world, resulting in large emissions of carbon and methane.

By itself, climate change is already degrading wetlands, especially in the Arctic and near Arctic regions where the once permanently frozen peatlands are thawing. If global average temperatures rise 3 or 4 degrees C, most wetlands, will likely dry out.

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