More than trees worth saving in the tropics
Indonesia's peatlands, made up of partially decayed plant material, emit some 2 billion tons of CO2 each year by drying out and catching fire.
That makes them an enormous source of the atmosphere-warming gas. A new project is restoring 150,000 acres of peatland in this tropical country, currently hosting an international conference on climate change, saving 4 million tons of CO2 emissions a year. The program includes training villagers, turning dried-out peatlands back into wetlands, and – planting trees.
Reporting from Bali, Indonesia, reporter Peter N. Spotts looks at the innovative program and why it's winning international attention.
