November 2021
Dialogues toward a European Peatlands Initiative at COP26
It all began during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. On the last day of the COP, at the Peatlands Pavilion, four European ministers joined nine leading peatland experts and farmers for “Dialogues towards a European Peatland Initiative” to discuss the importance of peatlands and the need for stronger cross-border collaboration to protect and restore these vital ecosystems.
September 2022
Exploring the Need for a European Initiative
Building on the momentum from COP26, the Irish Government commissioned a study to explore the need for a European-wide collaboration to accelerate action for peatlands restoration, conservation and sustainable management. Led by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; and Bax & Company, the study gathered insights from more than 150 experts, practitioners and policymakers across 15 European countries through interviews, surveys and workshops. The findings confirmed broad support for closer European cooperation.
November 2022
Building the European Peatlands Initiative
With support from the European Climate Initiative (EUKI), Eurosite – the European Land Conservation Network led a project to build a European Peatlands Initiative – a strong alliance for peatland climate protection in Europe. Working alongside the Michael Succow Foundation, partner in Griefswald Mire Centre; the European Landowners’ Organization (ELO); and CEEweb for Biodiversity, the consortium began building the partnerships, knowledge base and governance needed to move from a concept to a lasting European collaboration.
May 2023
The Preparatory Phase Begins
Representatives from governments, research organisations and peatland networks gathered in Dublin, Ireland, for an EPI Development Meeting hosted by the Irish Government. The meeting marked the transition from the exploratory phase to the preparatory phase of the EPI. One of the meeting’s key conclusions was the need for a dedicated task force or Preparatory Group comprising government representatives and key stakeholders, to guide the next stage of the EPI’s development.
September 2023
Presenting the EPI at Power to the Peatlands
The first “Power to the Peatlands” conference brought more than 500 peatland enthusiasts from over 40 countries to Antwerp, Belgium, demonstrating the momentum behind peatland restoration in Europe. In Antwerp, partners presented the EUKI Building the EPI project to a broad audience of researchers, site managers and policymakers all over Europe.
May 2024
Aligning National Peatland Strategies
Michael Succow Foundation, partner in Greifswald Mire Centre, and Eurosite organised a workshop in Bonn, Germany, hosted by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN). Experts, policymakers, the UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative and over 30 government representatives exchanged experiences on national peatland strategies and explored opportunities for stronger European coordination, helping shape a shared vision for peatland conservation and restoration.
October & November 2025
Establishing the Preparatory Group & Community Platform
Eurosite announced the establishment of the Preparatory Group (PG) for the EPI. Supported by the UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative, the PG brings together representatives from national governments, the European Commission and leading peatland organisations from across Europe to develop the governance structure and operational framework of the EPI. Around the same time, Eurosite also launched the EPI Community Platform, an online space where practitioners, researchers, policymakers and other individuals can exchane knowledge, share resources and collaborate across borders.