Peru has many treasures, including Machu Picchu, and recently discovered carbon-rich Pastaza-Maranon. Image: wikimedia commons.

Pastaza-Maranon basin in Peru may contain the most carbon-rich ecosystem in Amazonia. But regional infrastructure could cause depletion. Peat was also a factor in development of the Netherlands. Should Amazonian peatlands, analyzed by combining optical and remote sensing, become an example of how the world might approach such valuable deposits? The Amazon was a topic for discussion in COP20 in Lima; what will the world decide at COP21 in Paris, December 2015?

Frederick C. Draper et al., “The distribution and amount of carbon in the largest peatland complex in Amazonia.” Environmental Research Letters, Volume 9, Number 12. doi:10.1088/1728-9326/9/12/124017.

http://unfccc.int/meetings/lima_dec_2014/meeting/8141.php

http://climate-l.iisd.org/events/unfccc-cop-21/

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