Summary
Peatlands are the largest terrestrial carbon store on earth, storing more carbon than all other vegetation types in the world combined. But once peatland is destroyed it releases carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas driving climate change, into the atmosphere. Worldwide, damaged peatlands are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, annually releasing almost six percent of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The protection of peatlands is therefore a key component of global efforts to address the climate crisis.
Peatlands in Indonesia store an estimated 80 billion tons of carbon, equivalent to approximately 5 percent of all carbon stored in soil globally. At one time, Indonesia housed approximately 50 percent of the world’s total tropical peatlands, but that is rapidly diminishing as large-scale cultivation of these lands for oil palm plantations increases.
Protect farmers from Covid-19 fallout
Experts from 6 Asian countries for implementing adequate agrarian, social security reforms Staff Correspondent Staff Correspondent
Experts and researchers from six Asian countries have called for implementing agrarian and social security reforms to protect farmers from the adverse impacts of Covid-19.
They made the call at an international webinar yesterday. The event, titled Ensuring land and food rights at a time of Covid-19 and beyond , was organised jointly by Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) and The Daily Star.
In his keynote presentation, eminent researcher Antonio B Quizon touched upon issues like increased rural indebtedness forces small farmers to sell off their homes and farmlands; agrarian reforms have slowed down as government s priorities have been shifted elsewhere; agricultural workers are not being properly paid; and pastoralist communities and indigenous people