Power to the Peatlands Conference
Published: 3 September 2026
RESPECT will be hosting a workshop at the international Power to the Peatlands Conference in 's Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. The workshop is titled: 'From restoration targets to fair outcomes: overcoming justice challenges in peatland policy implementation'.
Power to the Peatlands 2026
Brabanthallen, Diezekade, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Workshop session: Thursday 3 September, 13:30-15:00 (Room Dexter 15-18)
About the workshop
Large-scale peatland restoration is increasingly central to delivering targets under climate and nature laws across Europe, but it entails profound changes in land use, livelihoods, and rural economies. This workshop examines how peatland policies and practices can be designed and implemented in ways that are inclusive and fair.
The workshop will first consider the many ways people may value and relate to peatlands, including instrumental values like carbon storage or agricultural productivity, but also the cultural and relational connections between people and peatlands, and peatlands’ inherent value. Participants will be invited to reflect on the impacts of framing restoration projects too narrowly, and the opportunities for a holistic approach that brings together different perspectives. Against this background, the facilitators will start the conversation about just peatland transitions by drawing upon their research in Ireland and Scotland; countries which are pioneering just transition approaches for the agriculture and peat extraction sectors but which are also facing significant challenges in delivering just outcomes for peatlands and communities on the ground.
By bringing together participants with different policy or practical experience, this workshop aims to explore questions regarding what a just transition means in different countries and different peatland contexts, who should be involved in decisions about peatland use change, and how benefits and costs should be shared. Where possible, it aims to identify examples of best practices in inclusive approaches to peatland restoration, e.g. projects that promote collaboration, involve underrepresented groups like tenant farmers or provide community benefits.
This workshop will be facilitated by Matilde Meertens LLM (University of Ghent), Dr Alessandra Accogli (Dublin City University) and Dr Miranda Geelhoed (University of Glasgow). Full abstracts are available here.
First published: 3 September 2026