Across the Netherlands and Flanders, the Peat Pals for LIFE project is working to restore degraded peatland ecosystems. While improving hydrological conditions is a key objective, the project also contributes to climate action by reducing CO₂ emissions from drained peatlands. One of the ambitions of Peat Pals for LIFE is therefore to explore and stimulate innovative financing mechanisms that can support large-scale peatland restoration.

To achieve this, collaboration is essential. Peat Pals for LIFE brings together a diverse network of stakeholders, including the Dutch National Carbon Market Foundation (SNK), nature conservation organizations, businesses, research institutes and universities, government ministries, and other experts active in the field of peatland restoration and climate finance.

On 19 June 2026, on a warm summer day, this network came together during a dedicated carbon credits workshop, held as part of the European Peatland Monitoring & Funding Workshop. The event was jointly organized by Peat Pals for LIFE, Eurosite, and the European Peatlands Initiative, and provided a platform for participants to exchange knowledge, share practical experiences, and explore new opportunities for financing peatland restoration.

At the heart of the discussion was one key question: How can carbon credit and funding solutions for peatland restoration be successfully implemented and scaled up in other regions of the Netherlands, Belgium, and beyond?

Wytze van der Gaast presenting the Nationale Koolstofmarkt — Wytze van der Gaast (*Stichting nationale koolstofmarkt Nederland)* presenting the mechanism behing the Foundation

The day was opened with a keynote speech by Marieke Mossink, Director of Dutch Ministry of Agri, Fisheries, Food and Nature in the Netherlands. She presented the Dutch Peatland Program, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by raising surface water levels on agricultural land. The program brings together a broad coalition of partners, including the national government, provinces, water boards, civil society organizations, and research institutions. Currently, efforts are focused on identifying priority areas for intervention using the SOMERS (Subsurface Organic Matter Emission Registration System) tool..

After the keynote speech, the workshop offered participants the opportunity to join four different thematic sessions. The first of those brought financial perspectives in the concept of working with carbon and nature credits. Wytze van der Gaast from Stichting Nationale Koolstofmarkt (SNK) gave an overview of how the SNK was established and how this certification is currently being used in practice, as well as the opportunities it offers for the future. Tamara Bińczak from Eurosite presented conservation finance, Nature credits and Peatlands in the pan-European context. It was highlighted how businesses depend on nature, with ~50% of total GDP being moderately or highly dependent on nature. Through initiatives such as the Conservation Finance Accelerator and the LIFE SUPER EU and LIFE Biodiv CrEW projects, Eurosite is working on innovative financing solutions for nature restoration.

Tamara Bińczak (Eurosite) giving an insight about nature as a topic in business — Tamara Bińczak (*Eurosite*) giving an insight about nature as a topic in business

The second thematic section focused on the agricultural sector and specifically, the Dutch perspective. Danielle Dijs-Duijndam, Sector manager at Rabobank for Dairy and Beef presented the vision Rabobank has for the dairy sector for 2040. It is clear for Rabobank, that for the sustainable transition, an integrated approach is needed, which involves the climate, water, animal welfare and biodiversity, among others. Rabobank presented its Sustainability Matrix, a tool that assess the ecological and economic performance of farms and can reward farmers for sustainable practices and positive environmental outcomes. Secondly, on behalf of FrieslandCampina, Auke Jan Veenstra presented three approaches to rewarding sustainable farming: the Foqus Planet programme, the On the way to PlanetProof label, and business-to-business agreements that link high-performing farms to customers with climate ambitions. Also the possibility of CAP funding was highlighted and the caution that careful coordination is needed to avoid overlap between funding schemes.

These morning sessions concluded with an interactive discussion on the future of peatland restoration financing. Participants explored how stronger public-private partnerships could help unlock additional funding, what incentives are needed to make restoration measures more attractive to farmers, and the opportunities offered by emerging instruments such as the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) and biodiversity credits. The discussion also addressed farmers’ perspectives on payments for ecosystem services and their potential role in supporting sustainable land management and peatland restoration.

Panel discussion with speakers after the morning session — Panel discussion after the morning session of the workshop

After a short lunch break, participants in the workshop gained first-hand insights into the German Palu funding program by Garreth Kratz from the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. Through this program, the German government is investing in the rewetting of 250.000 hectares of peatlands across the country. The discussion of these promising developments was followed by a series of practical examples and experiences from the field. Wiebe Borren from Natuurmonumenten presented the experiences and lessons learned from the implementation of carbon credits in the Barsbekerbinnenpolder (The Netherlands). Also Dr. Jennifer Merten, project co-coordinator of the LIFE Multi Peat project, shared valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with generating carbon credits from the peatland restoration sites in this LIFE-project. She concluded by emphasizing the bundling of smaller restoration projects and the use of blended finance as promising approaches to make peatland restoration more financially attractive and scalable.

Wiebe Borren presenting the Barsbekerbinnenpolder — Wiebe Borren (*Natuurmonumenten*) presenting the lessons-learnt from the implementation of carbon credits in the Barsbekerbinnenpolder

The workshop offered practical insights into emerging financial mechanisms for peatland restoration. Participants explored both the opportunities and challenges of instruments such as carbon credits and blended finance. Above all, the event highlighted the importance of bringing together stakeholders from different sectors to exchange knowledge and explore new opportunities. We thank the more than thirty participants for their valuable contributions and look forward to continuing the discussion at the upcoming Power to the Peatlands symposium.

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Restoring peatlands, reducing emissions, and unlocking new funding opportunities