Peat Bogs: Fires

(asked on 27th April 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the recommendations of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature UK Peatland Programme, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of banning the burning of peat.


Answered by
Rebecca Pow Portrait
Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This question was answered on 29th April 2021

While there continues to be scientific debate over aspects of the environmental impact of managed burning, there is a large and increasing body of literature that provides evidence that overall managed burning is damaging to peatland. This literature includes a systematic evidence review published by Natural England in 2013 synthesising the findings from 124 studies.

We have always been clear of the need to phase out rotational burning of protected blanket bog to conserve these vulnerable habitats. This is why we have brought forward legislation that will limit burning of vegetation on protected deep peat.

This legislation represents a crucial step in meeting the Government’s nature and climate change mitigation and adaptation targets, including the legally binding commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

We will be setting out further measures to restore, protect and manage England’s peatlands this year as part of a package of measures to protect England’s landscapes and nature-based solutions.

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