Authors:
Guillermo Rein
Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress
Venue:
Kuching
Keywords:
carbon-dioxide, ecosystem-security, peatfire, tropical-peatland
Documentfile:
ipc16p365a057rein.pdf
Summary:
One again, peat fires raged in 2015 in Indonesia and their extent was staggering. They emitted in excess of 1.6 Gton of CO2 equivalent. In fact, if peat fire emissions were considered, Indonesia would be the 3rd or 4th highest emitting country in the world. Smouldering fires are the largest and longest burning fires on Earth and take place in Indonesia, Siberia, Alaska, Florida and Australia, to name a few. Peat megafires destroy essential peatland ecosystems, and release very large quantities of CO2, CO and CH4, making up 15% of annual global greenhouse…