Originally published: Eurosite
Authored by: Harm Schoten, Eurosite
We are delighted to announce the official establishment of the Preparatory Group (PG) for the European Peatlands Initiative (EPI). This milestone marks a crucial advancement in developing a coherent and collaborative European platform for peatland protection and restoration.
The Preparatory Group has been created under the EUKI project “Building the European Peatlands Initiative: A Strong Alliance for Peatland Climate Protection in Europe,” with the support of four partners: Eurosite – the European Land Conservation Network, CEEweb for Biodiversity, the Michael Succow Foundation (partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre), and the European Landowners’ Organization.
The Preparatory Group, advised by UNEP-GPI, brings together representatives of national governments, the European Commission, and leading peatland stakeholders from across Europe. Together, they are dedicated to the next phase of the EPI development process: formulating and defining the key components necessary for establishing an effective, pan-European network to foster and facilitate the restoration, protection, and sustainable use of European peatlands. Over the next two years, the Preparatory Group parties will work closely together: meeting regularly to share their expertise and experience and collaborate on setting up the governance structure and operational framework of the EPI.
This launch represents an important step toward a united European effort to protect and restore one of our most valuable natural ecosystems against climate change, peatlands. We look forward to continuing this journey in partnership with all stakeholders dedicated to the sustainable management of these critical ecosystems.
This communication was developed under the EUKI project “Building the European Peatlands Initiative: A Strong Alliance for Peatland Climate Protection in Europe”, implemented by European Landowners’ Organization, Eurosite – the European Land Conservation Network, CEEweb for Biodiversity, and the Michael Succow Foundation (partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre). The project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN). The opinions put forward in this communication are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN).
