Peatlands are among the world’s most important natural carbon sinks, yet when degraded or drained they can become significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Strengthening the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of emissions and removals from peatlands is therefore essential for effective climate action and evidence-based land management. Based on the latest IPCC methodologies and aligned with UNFCCC reporting requirements, these Scientific and Methodological Recommendations provide practical guidance for improving the assessment of greenhouse gas fluxes from organic soils and enhancing national climate reporting.

The recommendations cover approaches to peatland classification, direct and indirect methods for assessing greenhouse gas emissions, and the use of geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing and field monitoring to support robust data collection and analysis. They also outline pathways for improving Ukraine’s greenhouse gas inventory system, advancing peatland monitoring, and supporting informed decisions on the conservation and restoration of peatlands as vital ecosystems for climate mitigation.

Developed under the UNDP project “Promoting Sustainable Livestock Management and Ecosystem Conservation in Northern Ukraine”, with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), these recommendations are intended for policymakers, researchers, technical experts, environmental practitioners, and institutions involved in greenhouse gas inventories, peatland monitoring, climate change mitigation, and the sustainable management of organic soils.