Certification system for peat substitutes

Development and implementation of an international certification system for peat substitutes

No Peat – Use coconut fiber! Choose sustainable peat substitutes for your plants!

 

The extraction of peat leads to large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. Peat mining also destroys valuable habitats. As an alternative, there are peat substitute products that can be used in gardening. wood chips, compost and coconut fiber are popular choices as peat. They are durable, environmentally friendly and have excellent water and nutrient storage capacity. However, alternative substrates should not only meet quality requirements, but the production and supply chains must also fulfill sustainability criteria.

Project Goals

Currently, there is no consistent certification system for peat substitutes. A certification system helps to ensure that the substitutes are indeed more environmentally friendly than peat and come from sustainable sources.

The certification system being developed as part of the project includes environmental and social criteria and covers the various substrate alternatives (bark mulch, compost and coconut fiber). Direct cooperation with farmers, producers and retailers ensures sustainability as well as the practical application of the certified substrate soil.

Project Measures

In a three-stage process, a consistent and strong certification system is developed that includes all important sustainability criteria as well as information on greenhouse gas emissions.

 

In the first phase of the project, a concept for the indicators and criteria is developed. In the second phase, the quality and feasibility will be tested in pilot operations. The third phase is the transfer of the certification system into regular operation.

 

Due to its expertise, the Global Nature Fund works explicitly on the ecological sustainability criteria in coconut cultivation and accompanies all three phases of the project.

© Picture from Wälz at Pixabay

© Picture from Thomas G. at Pixabay

© Picture from Jyoti Pandalai at Pixabay

 

Contact

Alena Hayer
Global Nature Fund (GNF) - Radolfzell
Tel.: +49 7732 9995 84
E-Mail: hayer@globalnature.org

 

Supporters

Partner

 

Project period:

January 2022 – December 2026

   

Countries:

Worldwide

 

 

Project partner:

Meo Carbon Solutions GmbH

 

 

Supporters:

German Federal Minestry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL)

German Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR)

 

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

The project should make a concrete contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):