Peatlands are among the world’s underappreciated natural treasures. Nevertheless, it’s a fact that these waterlogged ecosystems are one of the most important carbon reservoirs on the planet - holding twice as much carbon as all the world's forests.

Although these ecosystems are of vital importance, no global definition of peatlands exists and we lack a thorough understanding of their distribution and characteristics.

This Story Map is just one effort to raise awareness about the importance of peatlands – to the climate and the people, animals and plants that rely on them. It complements the recently released Rapid Response Assessment called Smoke on Water – Countering global threats from peatland loss and degradation. Smoke on Water is the first joint report from the Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI), an international partnership formed in 2016 to preserve peatlands.