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Brasil for Peatland Breakthrough
hopefully taking champion role
19/06/2026 Brazil is taking important steps towards becoming a Champion Country of the Peatland Breakthrough, the global initiative to accelerate peatland conservation, restoration and sustainable management worldwide.
Brazil hosts the world’s largest known extent of tropical peatlands, covering approximately 226,000 km² across the Amazon, Cerrado, Pantanal, Atlantic Forest, Pampa and coastal regions. Despite their global importance, peatlands remain largely absent from Brazil's environmental legislation, greenhouse gas reporting and national as well as international climate policy as 53 Brazilian researchers criticised in an open letter .
Brazil's National Committee for Wetlands (CNZU) has now recommended that the Ministry of the Environment formally endorse the Peatland Breakthrough and explore taking on a Champion Country role. The recommendation marks an important step towards strengthening the recognition of peatlands within Brazil's climate, biodiversity and water policies.
“This is great news for the global peatland community - catalysed by the climate conference COP30 in Belem, exchange with peatland scientists and conservationists in Brazil intensified and we are excited and very grateful for the country’s interest and commitment to join global peatland action”, said Dr. Franziska Tanneberger, director of the Greifswald Mire Centre, who was invited to participate in the National Committee for Wetlands meeting.
“The recommendation issued by the National Committee for Wetlands reflects Brazil's growing recognition of peatlands as strategic ecosystems for climate regulation, biodiversity conservation and water security,” said Dr. Suelma Ribeiro Silva from the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).
If endorsed, Brazil would join Peru, Uganda and Germany as Champion Countries of the Peatland Breakthrough, strengthening international cooperation on peatland conservation, restoration and sustainable management.
About the Peatland Breakthrough
The Peatland Breakthrough is a global call to action led by Wetlands International, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the Greifswald Mire Centre, developed in close alignment with the Global Peatlands Initiative, and in collaboration with the Convention on Wetlands. The growing list of partners includes: Global Environment Centre, Landscape Finance Lab, RE-PEAT, and The Nature Conservancy.
The Peatland Breakthrough charts a clear path forward through three global targets:
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Halt the anthropogenic loss of undrained peatlands by 2030.
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By 2030, at least 30 million hectares of peatlands will be rewetted and restored.
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By 2030, enabling conditions for sustainable, wise use will be developed, and by 2050, it is implemented on all peatlands.