Potential Impacts: Sensitivity of Peatlands to Climate Change

The sensitivity of peatlands to climate warming is shown on this map. Peatlands are massive deposits of peat, a material consisting largely of organic residue that acts as a natural sink for carbon. With global warming, however, they have the potential to become immense sources of greenhouse gases, and contribute significantly to further warming. The geographic areas where peatland will be most affected are the Hudson Bay lowlands, the Mackenzie River valley region and the northern parts of Alberta and Manitoba.