Wide-reaching Lapses in Peatland Protection Achievement by the State, as Per State Audit Office. - Exceeded Moorland Conservation Goals: Protective Measures Prove Fruitful in Achieving Desired Results
Hey there! Let's chat about the state of moor protection in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, shall we?
The Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD)'s current strategy for moor protection, as analyzed by the State Audit Office, is subpar. The audit office's latest annual report critiques a 70% failure rate in achieving the goal of rewetting drained moors. The initial target was to rewet an area of 49,000 hectares by 2020, but only around 15,000 hectares were revitalized.
Why's that a problem? Well, moist moors are integral to climate change mitigation. Drying moors become CO2 emitters, with experts estimating that approximately 30% of all CO2 emissions in the northeast stem from drained moors. In the past, the draining of moors provided extra agricultural land, but this practice results in the decomposition of peat and the release of CO2.
The State Audit Office points fingers at Backhaus for not regularly comparing goals with the achieved results and making timely adjustments. The audit office noted as early as 2015 that the objectives set by the Moor protection concept were unattainable under the current approach.
So, what's next on the agenda? The Ministry of Agriculture plans to ramp up action to meet the necessary "rewetting speed" in the future. These measures include increased funding and more staff at water and soil associations and state offices for Agriculture and the Environment.
The State Climate Protection Act, a strategic roadmap outlining climate protection measures and a Moor protection and land use strategy, is being developed to lay the foundation for achieving these goals. The urgency for completing the State Climate Protection Act is emphasized by the State Audit Office, especially with Red-Red's pledge to pass such a law in their 2021 coalition agreement. With the legislative period nearing its end in a year, there's hope that it will still be implemented.
Corinna Cwielag, managing director of the Federal Association for Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, expresses optimism, stating, "We hope it will still come by then."
As for the State Climate Protection Act's direct implications for moor protection and climate change mitigation, further details are not immediately available. However, it's clear that these issues are vital for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preserving natural resources like moors.
Here's a little fun fact: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, like the rest of Germany, is working towards national climate goals aiming for greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. This involves reducing emissions and transitioning to renewable energy sources. Protecting natural carbon sinks like moors supports these efforts and helps maintain biodiversity.
Stay tuned for more updates on this dynamic situation! \ stabier das Moor / sabotaging the moor (Derogatory term meaning destroying or damaging moors, often used in the context of the draining of moors for agricultural purposes)
- The inadequacies in the current moor protection policy, as reported by the State Audit Office, have led to a failure rate of 70% in achieving the goal of rewetting drained moors, highlighting the need for policy changes in environmental-science and policy-and-legislation related to climate-change.
- As moist moors play a significant role in climate change mitigation by reducing CO2 emissions, the failure to meet the moor protection targets has resulted in additional CO2 being released, which corresponds to approximately 30% of all CO2 emissions in the northeast.
- To combat this issue, the Ministry of Agriculture plans to take action by increasing funding and staff at water and soil associations and state offices to achieve the necessary "rewetting speed" in the future, while also working on a State Climate Protection Act and a Moor protection and land use strategy.
