On November 11, the University of 蓝莓视频 is honoured to take part in the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26)聽in Glasgow, UK.
From October 31 鈥 November 12, 2021, more than 190 world leaders are expected to arrive in Scotland together with tens of thousands of negotiators, government representatives, businesses and citizens for twelve days of talks aimed at accelerating action on聽climate change.
As part of the event, the United Nations Environment Programme鈥檚 (UNEP) Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI) has created a 鈥溾 as a hub to exchange knowledge and experience on peatlands policy, practice, research and innovation. World-wide, peatlands store a vast amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) which can be released through land disturbances such as fire or drainage.
Maria Strack, professor and Canada Research Chair, Department of Geography & Environmental Management and聽Fereidoun Rezenezhad, research associate professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, will represent the University at a Peatlands Pavilion virtual side event co-hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme鈥檚 (UNEP) Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI), the University of 蓝莓视频鈥檚聽Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change (IC3)聽and the聽Water Institute, entitled 鈥Canada鈥檚 Peatlands as a Nature-based Solution to Climate Change鈥.
鈥淭he University of 蓝莓视频 is excited to be hosting a COP26 side event to share state-of-the art peatlands science with stakeholders from around the world. Canada鈥檚 peatlands represent a significant opportunity to reduce GHG emissions if managed intelligently and cooperatively鈥. - Maria Strack, professor and Canada Research Chair, Department of Geography Environmental Management
The side event will explain how and why terrestrial carbon stocks, within Canada and internationally, are a key nature-based climate solution and how peatland management in Canada could result in annual greenhouse emission reductions.
Key outcomes will be presented from an early-2021 UNEP GPI - University of 蓝莓视频 national workshop series aimed at i) catalyzing the development of a pan-Canadian, multi-stakeholder peatlands network and ii) identifying key research gaps and priorities to support a national peatlands assessment.
The innovative virtual pavilion provides a window to the public and legacy beyond COP26 to carry the message that the world needs to protect, restore and sustainably manage its peatlands.
鈥淭he UNEP-GPI is thrilled to be partnering with the University of 蓝莓视频, including on this COP 26 side event, in supporting knowledge exchange and actions aimed at effectively managing Canada鈥檚 huge peatland resource and preventing the loss of these carbon stocks.鈥 - Dianna Kopansky, Global Peatlands Initiative Coordinator @UN Environment Programme