Peatland Code

The Peatland Code

The Peatland Code is a voluntary certification standard for UK peatland projects wishing to market the climate benefits of restoration. It provides assurances to carbon market buyers that the projects they are investing in are credible and deliverable.

Soil Association Certification Ltd have been authorised by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) UK Peatland Programme to validate Peatland Code projects. If you have a project you would like to discuss, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Peatland Code

Peatland restoration is an internationally recognised way to tackle climate change. In their natural state, peatlands offer long-term carbon storage. However, due to decades of unsuitable land management practices, the UK’s peatlands have instead become a significant net source of greenhouse gases. They currently emit about 16 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) each year.

The Peatland Code is a new certification scheme to support the protection and improvement of UK peatlands. Landowners can use the Peatland Code to secure funding for peatland restoration projects through carbon credits that can be sold to private carbon buyers looking to offset their carbon emissions.

Crucially, the Peatland Code guarantees independent validation and verification to its standards. It gives assurance and clarity for carbon buyers that a project’s expected benefit is real, quantifiable, additional and permanent.

With 80 percent of the UK’s peatlands currently modified or damaged, the Peatland Code offers an exciting and cost-effective way to capture and store billions of tonnes of carbon, whilst also improving water quality and preventing biodiversity loss.

“We want to see two million hectares of UK peatlands in good condition, under restoration or being sustainably managed by 2040.” IUCN UK Peatland Programme

Why choose Soil Association Certification?

• Soil Association Certification Ltd is approved by the IUCN to validate Peatland Code projects
• Over 20 years’ certification experience across multiple land-management sectors, including agriculture and forestry.
• Proven experience in other carbon capture validation schemes, including over 120 Woodland Carbon Code projects
• Expert and personalised support from a dedicated Certification Officer

 

Peatland Code timeline

This table provides an outline of the process of becoming Peatland Code validated, and later verified.

Our team can provide help and advice on the certification process.

Below is a more detailed look at the Peatland Code validation process:

Additional links

• Read more about the Peatland Code on the IUCN website
• Download the Peatland Code
• Field protocol (version 2.0)
• Soil Association Certification Peatland Code guidance for validation applicants
• IUCN guidance document (version 2.0)
• IUCN guidance and templates for projects
• IUCN Peatland Code version 2.0 FAQs