Today marks the launch of a new pan-European collaboration to conserve, restore and sustainably manage one of Europe’s most valuable ecosystems in mitigating climate change and reversing biodiversity loss.
The European Peatlands Initiative (EPI) was launched during the Power to the Peatlands 2026 conference in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, which brought together more than 700 people from across Europe and beyond around a shared vision: healthier peatlands for biodiversity, clean water, sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience.
Despite covering a minor share of the planet’s land surface, peatlands play a huge role in addressing some of today’s greatest environmental threats. Healthy peatlands store vast amounts of carbon, support unique biodiversity, improve water quality and help regulate floods and droughts. Protecting and restoring these precious ecosystems is widely recognised as one of the most effective nature-based solutions for tackling both the climate and biodiversity crises.
Restoring and sustainably managing peatlands at landscape scale requires coordinated action that transcends national borders and sectors. The EPI has been established to facilitate and upscale that coordination.
Advised by the UNEP-led Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI), the EPI is a collaborative initiative connecting governments, the European Commission and stakeholders to strengthen cooperation on peatland conservation, restoration and sustainable management across Europe. It will facilitate knowledge exchange, support evidence-based policymaking, encourage innovation, and help mobilise resources and coordinated action for peatlands continent-wide.
“The launch of the European Peatlands Initiative is a moment to celebrate,” said Dianna Kopansky, Coordinator of the GPI. “The EPI joins a growing family of regional peatland initiatives inspired by and connected to the GPI as we approach our tenth anniversary. Together, we are strengthening the connective tissue of the peatlands agenda: turning shared ambition into informed, scaled-up action. Europe’s approaches and experience will be a valuable contribution to shaping the next decade of peatland restoration.”
The launch of the EPI is an important milestone in a journey that began in 2021 at COP26 in Glasgow. Since then, governments and organisations have worked tirelessly to explore the need for a European initiative, develop a shared vision and establish a governance structure capable of sustaining long-term partnership and collaboration.
Much of this groundwork was carried out through the EUKI-funded Building the EPI project, implemented by Eurosite – the European Land Conservation Network together with the Michael Succow Foundation, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, the European Landowners’ Organization (ELO), and CEEweb for Biodiversity. The project supported the development of the EPI Preparatory Group, which has guided the initiative’s development.
“Europe’s peatlands don’t stop at national borders, and neither should we,” said Harm Schoten, Director of Eurosite. “The EPI Preparatory Group has shown what is possible when we bring different perspectives and expertise around one table with a shared goal. The EPI provides a platform to strengthen connections across Europe, share knowledge and approaches, and build stronger collective action for peatlands. As the EPI Secretariat, Eurosite is ready to support partners across Europe in becoming peatland champions.”
The launch also marks the official opening of the EPI membership application process. Membership is open to national and regional governments, agencies, and initiatives; non-governmental organisations; research institutions and universities; farmers’ and landowners’ organisations; businesses and other entities that share the EPI’s vision and mission. Organisations across Europe are invited to apply and help shape the future of Europe’s peatlands.
Individuals are also welcome to join the EPI Community Platform on Slack to connect with peatland practitioners across Europe, exchange knowledge, and stay informed about the latest developments and opportunities.
For more information, visit europeanpeatlandsinitiative.com.