Date of Award

2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Department

Environmental Studies

Advisor(s)

John Van Buren

Abstract

As the EU and the Irish government focus on shifting to green energy and becoming carbon neutral, there has been a growing concern about the use of Irish peatland. For centuries, Irish people have cut and dried peat for the purpose of burning. This would traditionally be used for heating and cooking but as electricity became increasingly popular in the 1960s, companies like Bord na Móna helped industrialize the process of harvesting peat as part of their expansion of several peat-fired electricity stations. Chapter one discusses how decades of overharvesting has caused extreme damage to peatlands and their wildlife. Chapter two covers the history of peat harvesting, starting with the traditional techniques which formed community and cultural identity and explaining how industrialization led to more extreme bog destruction. Companies like Bord na Móna led the drive for machines and built electrical factories that burnt immense amounts of turf from the largest of Irish bogs. Chapter three dives into the economics of the peatlands as the recent industry shut down has launched Ireland into rehabilitation efforts. This chapter also goes over peatland’s ecosystem services as they greatly benefit the country. Chapter four explores current EU and national legislation as they attempt to address climate change through policies that affect peatlands. In chapter five, I explain my recommendations on legislation, economic policy, and public collaboration that balances the value of environmental and cultural protection with a focus on working with the rural communities that are most affected.

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