Release Date: 2007-08-14
Original Link: http://presszoom.com/story_139493.html
Source: University of Leicester
The conference will address issues concerning tropical peatlands that recent media coverage has dubbed the "carbon time bomb" and the "new black gold". The topic of the conference is tropical peatlands, which are responsible for storing vast amounts of carbon within unique ecosystems supporting such threatened species as the orang-utan. With the potential for developed nations and businesses to offset their own carbon emissions by maintaining or restoring these precious environments, new opportunities for developing countries to earn revenue from their peatlands are being investigated.
(PressZoom.com) - The conference will address issues concerning tropical peatlands that recent media coverage has dubbed the "carbon time bomb" and the "new black gold". The topic of the conference is tropical peatlands, which are responsible for storing vast amounts of carbon within unique ecosystems supporting such threatened species as the orang-utan. With the potential for developed nations and businesses to offset their own carbon emissions by maintaining or restoring these precious environments, new opportunities for developing countries to earn revenue from their peatlands are being investigated.
The researchers will be led by Dr Sue Page a world-renowned expert on the ecology and restoration of tropical peatlands who works in the Department of Geography at University of Leicester. Dr Page said, "This conference is of great importance on a global scale because the destruction of tropical peatlands is responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions. It is also important on a local scale as engaging the local population is the only way to solve the problems. The key to the sustainable use of tropical peatlands is the involvement of scientists, governments, both local and national, NGOs and the local population. This meeting will provide an opportunity for all these groups to come together and hear about the important issues that affect all of them and the rest of the world."
During their visit to Indonesia, the researchers will also undertake fieldwork in Borneo and Sumatra where they will be assessing the impact of fire on these unique ecosystems and developing improved land management strategies for plantation companies operating in peatland areas.
Notes for editors
The amount of greenhouse gases released from tropical peatlands in Indonesia during 1997 was equivalent to the annual emissions from burning fossil fuels in the EU.
The meeting is one of a series of meetings with funding from the European Union (EU) through the CARBOPEAT Project. CARBOPEAT is designed to raise the awareness of carbon-climate-human interactions in tropical peatlands in Europe and SE Asia. CARBOPEAT involves partners from Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Holland, Finland and the UK and is managed by Dr Susan Page of the Department of Geography, University of Leicester.
The International Symposium and Workshop on Tropical Peatland: Carbon Pools, Fire, Mitigation, Restoration and Wise Use will be held between 27-31 August 2007 in the university city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia with a pre-symposium fieldtrip in Palangka Raya on the island of Borneo. The meeting is the second in a series of European Union (EU) funded designed to improve communications between scientists, landowners, governments, NGOs and most importantly those who live and work on the peatlands.
For further information, please contact:
Dr Sue Page or Dr Chris Banks
Department of Geography
University of Leicester
University Road
Leicester
LE1 7RH
UK.
Tel.: +44 (0)116 2523318
Fax.: +44 (0)116 2523854
Emails: sep5@le.ac.uk chris.banks@le.ac.uk