Sustainability starts in the substrate
By certifying sustainable and climate-friendly peat substitutes, HORTICERT supports peat reduction and thus contributes to an environmentally friendly horticultural industry with reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Peatland Protection is Climate Protection
Globally, peat is still the most widely used raw material for potting soils and growing media. However, peat extraction in drained peatlands is associated with high greenhouse gas emissions.
Peat is created by the accumulation non- or barely decomposed organic material in the absence of oxygen. This process occurs in intact, water-saturated peatlands. Intact peatlands bind six times more carbon in the soil than forests in the same area. Therefore, they are crucial for climate protection.
The certification system is developed and implemented by Meo Carbon Solutions GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), represented by the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR).