German Peatlands 2023 social media campaign

The German Peatlands 2023 social media campaign raises awareness for the necessity to rewet degraded peatlands to fight the climate and biodiversity crisis.

The German Peatlands 2023 social media campaign’s scope

Duration 2022-2023

Introducing the importance of peatlands restoration for climate and biodiversity protection to the conservation sector is like carrying coal to Newcastle.

However, that’s not true for the broader public, the political realm, the economic and financial sectors, and the affected communities. To raise awareness and to lay the ground for swift action, everyone should be informed of the situation, the urgency and the options we have to solve that.

So what are our options? There’s only one: rewetting dry and degraded peatlands soils to stop them from emitting large amounts of GHG. But the most significant part of degraded peatlands is in agricultural use and private hands that will lose their ability to work as farmland and source of income as before when rewetted.

That’s why we have identified two major target groups: affected and mostly conservative people in rural areas and nature-loving, progressive voters, mostly living in the cities.

We tell stories of possible economic solutions, volunteer engagement, scientific knowledge, and the peatlands farmer’s and public officials’ demands in short videos shared by social media.

With this social media campaign, we’re spreading the news and helping to sharpen the profile of our partner Greifswald Mire Centre, which plays the leading role in peatlands matter in Germany and way beyond on multiple levels, from scientific knowledge to policy consultancy. We are also very grateful that our partner Climate Catalyst supports the campaign with their social media management knowledge and financial support.

So why Germany? 7% of Germany’s footprint comes from the GHG emissions of degraded peatlands. As other sectors like energy and traffic continually transform into a net zero economy, the peatlands’ footprint percentage will rise to a level that becomes pivotal for Germany’s climate goals. Plus, Germany is a leading poster child in the greater picture of European climate and conservation politics.

This website is co-financed by the EU’s LIFE Programme