"In early 2022, Ukrainian forces did something seemingly unusual. They blew up one of their own dams on the Irpin River, just north of Kyiv, inundating hundreds of hectares of surrounding floodplains, and submerging villages in the process. That newly formed wetland became an impenetrable barrier, stopping Russian forces in their tracks and saving the capital from capture. Now, two countries along NATO's eastern borders are weighing wetlands as a frontline defense amid fears of a potential Russian invasion."
"Though they cover just 3% of Earth's land surface, healthy, wet peatlands lock carbon underground, storing twice as much CO2 as forests. But over time, large swathes of the EU's bogs, moorland and swamp have been drained for agriculture. Heavy armoured vehicles like tanks can get stuck in the mudImage: Metin Aktas/AA/picture alliance As a result, their storage capacity is lost. Around 7% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions come from drained peat soils and former wetlands."
Ukrainian forces flooded floodplains north of Kyiv in early 2022, forming an impassable wetland that halted Russian advance. Poland and Finland are evaluating rewetting drained peatlands, moors, and swamps along eastern borders to serve as natural defensive obstacles. Rewetted peatlands can impede heavy armored vehicles and restrict troop movement while simultaneously restoring biodiversity and improving air and water quality. Healthy, wet peatlands cover about 3% of land yet store twice as much CO2 as forests, making them vital carbon sinks. Decades of drainage for agriculture have degraded EU peatlands, causing about 7% of EU greenhouse gas emissions from drained peat soils. Restoration aligns defense and climate goals.
Read at www.dw.com
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