Identifying hotspots of greenhouse gas emissions from drained peatlands in the European Union

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained peatlands account for about 7% of the total anthropogenic GHG emissions in the European Union (EU). Yet, a lack of high-resolution spatial data hampers targeted mitigation. We combined soil and land use data to generate detailed maps of land use, GHG emissions, and emission hotspots for EU+ peatlands. Undrained peatlands and those drained for forestry dominate at high latitudes, while drained Grassland and Cropland prevail around latitudes 50°-55°. Four main emission hotspots emerge: the North Sea region, eastern Germany, the Baltics together with eastern Poland, and north Ireland. The North Sea region is the largest, accounts for 20% of EU+ peatland emissions on just 4% of the peatland area. Our findings highlight the urgency of reducing emissions from drained peatlands to meet EU climate targets and reveal substantial underreporting in National UNFCCC inventories, amounting to 59-113 Mt CO₂e annually. Our analysis provides a robust and spatially explicit evidence base for policymakers to prioritize peatland rewetting to reduce GHG emissions.