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Somerset Wildlife Trust urge UK Government to fulfil promise to ban sale of peat

Somerset Wildlife Trust are urging people across the county and beyond to complete three simple actions to make some noise for peat, to support this Bill reaching the next stage of the legislative process.
  • Peatlands are unique and precious habitats that are huge carbon stores, covering just 3% of the world’s surface yet holding nearly 30% of the soil carbon.
  • Supporters across Somerset are being asked to complete three simple actions to help lobby the Labour Government to finally ban sales of peat products and protect the UK’s peatlands.
  • 95% of people that responded to a recent UK Government consultation – of which 88% were amateur gardeners – were in favour of a complete retail sales ban.

Last year, the former Environment Secretary and Conservative MP, Theresa Villiers, introduced a Private Members' Bill to Parliament, since the UK Government's pledged peat legislation failed to materialise. Although the Bill passed its first reading, the second reading was abandoned when the 2024 General Election was called, and no parliamentary time has since been given to proceed with the Bill by the current Labour Government.

On 6th November 2024, Sarah Dyke, Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, put forward the Horticultural Peat (Prohibition of Sale) Bill. Under plans outlined in the Bill, there would be a ban on selling horticultural peat by the end of 2025. Having passed its first reading, the Bill is due to be presented in more detail at its second reading on Friday 24th January, where MPs will decide whether it can proceed to the next stage.

In 2022, the horticultural industry used 950,000m3 of peat – enough to fill 380 Olympic-sized swimming pools. This trade impacts biodiversity and carbon stores, as well as reducing our ability to withstand flooding and improve the quality of our water supplies. Ahead of the Bill’s second reading, Somerset Wildlife Trust are urging people across the county and beyond to complete three simple actions to make some noise for peat, to support this Bill reaching the next stage of the legislative process. The actions are:

  • Sending a pre-written email to your local MP
  • Tagging the UK Government on social media
  • Signing The Wildlife Trusts' open letter to retailers

You can complete the three actions, and learn more about precious peatlands, by clicking the button below. 

Find out more

Peat extraction

Image: Matthew Roberts

Georgia Dent, Chief Executive Officer of Somerset Wildlife Trust, says:
“Somerset is unfortunately one of the last two counties in England where peat extraction still takes place. The Somerset Levels and Moors have a long history of peat excavation and drainage, and even though we are now in a climate and nature emergency, extraction is still ongoing today. We know our peatlands are one of our greatest carbon stores and one of the most important instruments in our fight against climate change, which is why we need to be protecting and restoring these amazing places. That means keeping peat in the ground and banning the sale of peat compost.”

Siân Russell, Peatland Partnership Project Coordinator at Somerset Wildlife Trust, adds:
“Peatlands provide vital habitat for a variety of plant and animal species, many of which are specifically adapted to the waterlogged and acidic conditions peatlands provide. With 1 in 6 species now at risk of extinction in Great Britain, an immediate ban on the destruction of peatlands for gardening and growing would make important progress towards reversing these catastrophic declines.”

Editor’s notes

Government consultation on proposals to end the sale of peat and peat containing products in England and Wales: There were 5,619 responses in total. See results here.

UK Government timeline of ban on horticultural peat:

  • 2011: Government sets voluntary target set to end use of bagged peat compost by 2020. This was missed by a large margin – in 2021, over 1 million m3 of peat was sold to amateur gardeners. 
  • 2021: Government launches consultation on ‘Ending the retail sale of peat in horticulture in England and Wales’. 
  • 2022: Consultation reveals that 95% of respondents want to see a ban on the sale of peat. Government commits to a ban by the end of this Parliament in 2024. 
  • 2023: Government sets out the programme of legislation for its final session of Parliament, but with no mention of legislation to ban peat sales. 
  • 2024: Government changes tack, stating that peat sales ban will come only “when parliamentary time allows.”

Peat statistics:

  • Up to 31 million tonnes of CO2 released by peat extraction since 1990 – see here. 
  • Emissions equivalent to 15 million return flights from London to New York – based on emissions from a return flight amounting to 2 tonnes CO2e. 
  • Emissions equivalent to the annual emissions produced by over 7 million cars – GHG equivalencies calculator: 7,378,056 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year. 
  • About 90% of Welsh peatland is in an unfavourable condition due to impacts such as drainage or erosion: Natural Resources Wales / Danes delight in Welsh peatland restoration 

Somerset Wildlife Trust

Somerset Wildlife Trust is a nature conservation charity. Its purpose is to restore and protect the populations of species across the county and the habitats they call home. Climate change is one of the greatest threats to nature, natural habitats and the ecosystems that support our life on earth.  Our aims are to help address both the ecological and climate crises and put nature back into people’s lives. 

Nature reserves and protected sites on their own are not enough. In order to reverse the decline in species diversity and abundance, and create resilient landscapes and habitats for wildlife and for people that can adapt to climate change, we need to:  

  • Encourage and support landowners to manage their land positively for nature; create more space for nature. 
  • Connect wildlife-rich spaces across the wider landscape to create a robust Nature Recovery Network for Somerset. 
  • Create a movement of people – at least 1 in 4 – that take action for nature’s recovery across Somerset as part of Team Wilder.  

This is at the core of our new 10-year strategy. Nationally the Wildlife Trusts are calling for at least 30% of land to be managed positively for nature by 2030. What we do in Somerset must contribute to that national ambition. You can read our full 10-year strategy Wilder Somerset here.

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