Peatland rewetting as drainage exnovation – A transition governance perspective

Abstract

In the European Union, peatlands are largely drained for agriculture resulting in significant environmental damage and CO2 emissions. Rewetting is seen as an effective tool to reduce CO2 emissions, but drainage-based agricultural practices are locked-in. Instead of describing the scaling up of agriculture on wet peatlands, this paper examines the termination of drained peatlands use as an exnovation problem. Drawing on sustainability transitions research, we suggest exnovation as a conceptual perspective on the systemic changes towards sustainable agriculture. We propose a perspective on exnovation governance based on four dimensions: discourse, policy instruments, agency, and justice. We assess existing recommendations and government policy for peatland rewetting in Germany in terms of exnovation governance, and highlight strengths and omissions. The exnovation approach provides a new perspective for decision-makers, while peatland also offers a promising avenue for further research within this framework.