Last month, Defra announced the ban of all sales of peat to amateur gardeners in England by 2024. This marks a particularly significant moment in our campaigning history as the RSPB has been campaigning on this issue since 1990 – more than 30 years.
Defra’s public consultation on ending the retail sale of horticultural peat received more than 5,000 responses with over 95% in favour of government taking action to ban retail peat sales. The Government has also pledged to continue to work closely with the professional horticulture sector on speeding up their transition to peat-free alternatives ahead of a ban for the professional horticulture sector.
Last year, we launched the #forpeatssake campaign, asking gardeners to go peat free. Over 11,000 people signed up to help keep peat out of their garden and in the ground. We have also been joined by many other organisations and individuals in campaigning for this over the long term.
More needs to be done to protect our precious peatlands
At a time when all our laws that protect the nature we work tirelessly to protect are under threat the ban on sales of peat to the amateur gardening market is a very welcome win. We have been working hard for many, many years to make this a reality and we will ensure that the Government is held to account on their 2024 date.
While we welcome this announcement we are however concerned it does not meet the Climate Change Committee’s advice to end ALL peat use AND extraction by 2023. We are in the midst of a nature and climate emergency, and this is the type of action we need to be seeing, especially when there are many peat-free alternatives available. It is a good step in the right direction, but we need to see this followed up with more decisions that protect our precious peatlands.
Our campaigning continues
We would like to thank our supporters for standing up for nature and campaigning with us on this issue for many years. This win would not have been possible without your support.
Even as we celebrate this win, we will continue to campaign to keep peat in the ground and protect our amazing peatland spaces for people, climate and nature.
Learn more about our the importance of our peatlands.