This is one of 28 reports that provide the background for the Genuine Progress Indicators (GPI) System of Sustainable Well-being Accounts. It explains how we derived the wetlands and peatlands sustainability indices that were earlier published in Sustainability Trends 2000: The Genuine Progress Statement for Alberta, 1961 to 1999. The research for this report was completed near the end of 2000.
This report examines the extent of peatlands and wetlands in Alberta. It attempts to answer the following questions:
- What is the current state of Alberta's peatlands?
- How much is being mined for horticultural purposes?
- How much carbon do peatlands sequester on an annual basis?
- What is the current status of wetlands in Alberta?
- What have been the environmental and economic impacts of wetland drainage?
- What are the benefits of these ecological services and what are the full costs of degrading Alberta's wetlands?
