Newsletters

 

ISSUE 002   |   DECEMBER 2021

 

Greetings Friends of Peat,

2021 is ending soon and we would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one for their role in working towards our shared goal of sustainable peatland management in ASEAN. Despite another year affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the ASEAN peatland community came through alongside People for Peat to successfully deliver on a number of important events and achievements to put ASEAN peatlands on the global map. Some notable highlights include presentations at the Peatland Pavilion at COP26, having over 700 participants at the PFP Regional Peat Symposium, providing research grants to 7 recipients, and launching the Business Hub Accelerator Programme for 13 projects focused on ensuring environmental protection, economic productivity, and social inclusion on peatlands.

 

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SOCIO-ECONOMIC VALUES OF PEATLANDS IN ASEAN
There are different types of peatlands found in ASEAN including floating peat, coastal peatland, and the rarest type, calcareous spring mound peatlands. Due to these varieties, they affect the whole ecosystem and provide distinct socio-economic values to the communities.

 

Source : ASEAN Peatland Forest Project (2020)

 

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PEOPLE FOR PEAT AT COP26!

People for Peat participated in COP26 through the Peatland Pavilion on the theme Adaptation and Resilience on 3 November 2021. Among the key points highlighted at the event was the peatland-related business investment opportunity through PFP’s Business Hub Accelerator Programme. This programme aims to connect promising projects to peatlands and business experts and eventually to responsible investors. We hope that this opportunity to share PFP’s mission with a global audience has encouraged potential non-state actor stakeholders to join us in the efforts of mitigating haze in ASEAN region.

“Progress made by People for Peat through the Sustainable Use of Peatland and Haze Mitigation in ASEAN (EU-SUPA) for Component 2 has portrayed equally important involvement by the private sectors in peatland management. Their role includes mobilising climate action through sustainable peatland management and these efforts will be emphasised at COP26”,
- Nirarta Samadhi, Country Director of WRI Indonesia, representative of PFP at COP26

 

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PEAT HEROES
Our December Peat Hero is ​​Razak Aziz, a passionate permaculturist from Malaysia. With his passion for sustainable eco-living, Razak ventured into off-the-grid farming in 2006. He operates a sub-urban farmstead and training centre in Klang, Selangor offering co-curriculum-based experiential programs and workshops including holistic natural urban farming and Permaculture principles. His focus is on empowering the public towards ‘community-based food production’. Razak Aziz is currently serving on People for Peat’s esteemed Panel of Experts, sharing his expertise to help more businesses adopt sustainable peatland management through permaculture practices.

Know someone who deserves to be featured on Peat Heroes? Send us an email.

 

PFP BUSINESS HUB ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME: COHORT HIGHLIGHT!

Wild Wild Pigs, is a family business based in the Leyte Sab-a Basin peatlands in the Philippines, and a member of the first cohort of the PFP Business Hub Accelerator programme that is looking to create sustainable incomes through low-impact livestock production while utilising part of its operation base as a peat swamp forest rehabilitation demonstration site for capacity building and environmental education.

With a vision of integrating peat, people, and prosperity, owners Ronnie and Jam Colas hope to be able to see other businesses operate on peatland sustainably in the future. Through the programme, Wild Wild Pigs will be receiving technical assistance from People for Peat’s Panel of Experts to materialise their vision for a sustainable livelihood on peatlands.

A drove of piglets crossing the path at the Wild Wild Pigs farm.

Source : Wild Wild Pigs

Want to be an investor?
Learn more

 

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Importance of ASEAN Peatlands to Contributing to Global Climate Change Mitigation
ASEAN Secretariat co-organized a side event at Peatland Pavilion at COP26 on 3 November to highlight the importance of ASEAN Peatlands to Contributing to Global Climate Change Mitigation. This session provided a glimpse into the importance of peatlands for both state and non-state actors in ASEAN and offered an opportunity for joining together in continued investment in protection and restoration.

Read more here.

Economics of Peatlands Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Management Policy Report
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released the policy report titled ‘Economics of Peatlands Conservation, Restoration and Management’ on 4 November 2021. The report revealed that the principal factors in the mismanagement of peatland are the undervaluation of their economic contributions and underinvestment.  Cost-effective tropical peatland conservation and restoration investment would reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 800 million tonnes per annum, requiring a total of US$28.3 billion for conservation and US$11.7 billion more for restoration in investment annually.

Read the full report here.

A New Map Shows Where Carbon Needs to Stay in Nature to Avoid Climate Disaster
A team of scientists from Conservation International, Virginia, United States revealed a new map that shows irrecoverable carbon stores across the planet through a new mapping project. Key areas that were found to have an exceptionally high density of irrecoverable carbon are the Pacific Northwest, the Amazon, the Congo Basin, and Borneo. It is estimated that the total amount of irrecoverable carbon is 139 gigatons, equivalent to about 15 years of human carbon dioxide emissions at current levels.

Read more here.

Do you have an ongoing project with tropical peatlands? Send us an email at peopleforpeat@trcrc.org

 

|      S P O T L I G H T     |

This month’s spotlight is Ranu Welum Foundation, a Dayak youth initiative that integrates indigenous knowledge and modern technology to empower indigenous youth to preserve the culture, protect the forest, and fight for indigenous rights. Ranu Welum is known globally for its involvement at the frontline of the annual peat fires and resulting toxic haze in Kalimantan, Indonesia that has been happening over two decades during the dry spells.

Eco Tour at Peatland Conservation Area - The Heartland Project by Ranu Welum

Source : Ranu Welum Foundation

Learn more

 

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Application for Business Hub Accelerator Programme, Cohort 2 is Now Open until 7 January 2021!
The programme brings opportunities to optimise innovative solutions in business, finance, and peat management. Selected applicants from across ASEAN (excluding Brunei and Singapore) will go through a 9-month programme starting in February 2022 to receive business mentorship and technical assistance with an industry-wide panel of experts.

Peat-related businesses in ASEAN (excluding Brunei & Singapore) are highly encouraged to apply. Please use the self-assessment tool to find out if your business is eligible for this application.

Apply now here or visit www.businesshub.peopleforpeat.org for more info.

 

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QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"The way forward is to strengthen climate action in sustainable peatland management, in particular, by developing and implementing a new ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy (2021-2030) and National Action Plans for Peatland management in ASEAN Member States."
Vong Sok
Head of Environment Division, Assistant Director of Sustainable Development Director at The ASEAN Secretariat

 

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