State of Knowledge on UK Agricultural Peatlands for Food Production and the Net Zero Transition

Lloyd, Isobel; Thomas, Virginia; Ofoegbu, Chidiebere; Bradley, Andrew V.; Bullard, Paddy; D’Acunha, Brenda; Delaney, Beth; Driver, Helen; Evans, Chris D.; Faulkner, Katy; Fonvielle, Jeremy A.; Francksen, Richard M.; Friday, Laurie E.; Hose, Gemma; Kaduk, Jörg; Manning, Francesca Re; Morrison, Ross; Novo, Paula; Page, Susan E.; Rhymes, Jennifer; Hudson, Megan; Balzter, Heiko

Abstract

Agricultural peatlands are the most productive soils in the UK for the cultivation of many food crops. Historical drainage of peat for agriculture (i.e., cropland and managed grassland), without consideration of other associated environmental and climatic impacts, has resulted in a significant emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs). There is a need to reduce GHG emissions without compromising the rural economy and jeopardizing food security in the UK to a greater extent than is currently being experienced. In March 2023, in a bid to identify alternative land management systems for agricultural peatlands to support the UK’s commitment to achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050, a group of forty investigators met at a workshop convened by the AgriFood4NetZero Network+. The workshop reviewed the state of knowledge surrounding the Fens of Eastern England and their importance for food provision, the economy, cultural identity, and climate change mitigation. A broad consensus emerged for research into how GHG emissions from agricultural peatlands could be reduced, whether alternative farming methods, such as seasonal farming or paludiculture, would offer a solution, and how a localized approach for the Fens could be defined. The development of a holistic, inclusive, and plausible land use scenario that considers all aspects of ecosystem services provided by the Fens is urgently needed.

Citation

Lloyd, I., Thomas, V., Ofoegbu, C., Bradley, A. V., Bullard, P., D’Acunha, B., Delaney, B., Driver, H., Evans, C. D., Faulkner, K., Fonvielle, J. A., Francksen, R. M., Friday, L. E., Hose, G., Kaduk, J., Manning, F. R., Morrison, R., Novo, P., Page, S. E., Rhymes, J., …Balzter, H. (2023). State of Knowledge on UK Agricultural Peatlands for Food Production and the Net Zero Transition. Sustainability, 15(23), Article 16347. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316347

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 24, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Nov 27, 2023
• Publication Date: Nov 27, 2023
• Deposit Date: Dec 4, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 5, 2023
• Journal: Sustainability
• Electronic ISSN: 2071-1050
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 23
• Article Number: 16347
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316347
• Keywords: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law; Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment; Geography, Planning and Development; Building and Construction
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/27871797
• Publisher URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/23/16347