Project Information Sheet Peatlands cover about 3% of the earth and contain 20 - 35% of the carbon in the terrestrial ecosphere/soils (IGBP/ Wetlands International), while at the same time supporting a very high diversity of species, many of which are unique to these ecosystems. Degradation of peatlands leads to massive carbon emissions. For example, it is estimated that
during the 1997 fire event in Indonesia between 0.81 and 2.57 gigatonnes of carbon was released to the atmosphere as the result of burning peat and vegetation, an amount equivalent to 13 - 40% of mean annual global carbon emissions from fossil fuels. 

Since August 2001 Wetlands International - Indonesia Programme, Wildlife Habitat Canada, the Global Environment Centre and Indonesian and Canadian partners have been working to implement the Climate Change, Forests and Peatlands in Indonesia (CCFPI) project. The project will be implemented until June 2005, and is working with a range of stakeholders in Jambi, South Sumatra, Central Kalimantan and at the central government level. 

The project is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through the Canadian Climate Change Development Fund, with co-funding from the Global Environment Facility (through the Integrated Management of Peatlands for Biodiversity and Climate Change Project), and the Global Peat Initiative.

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