New Study: Peatlands in the Angolan Highlands Are at Least Four Times Larger Than Previously Estimated
LUANDA, Angola (August 20, 2026) — In a new paper published today in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B., researchers from the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project (NGOWP) say that vital carbon sinks called peatlands in the Angolan Highlands Water Tower (AHWT) region cover an area at least four times larger than previously estimated.
While previous mapping efforts identified 1,634 square kilometers of peatland in a smaller subset of the AHWT, researchers from NGOWP — working alongside its local Angolan arm, Fundação Lisima — developed a high-resolution map analyzing the entire AHWT. The first-of-its-kind map reveals an estimated 8,662 to 11,167 square kilometers of potential peatland. Peatlands store more carbon than forests while mitigating the effect of greenhouse gases, regulating river flows, and nourishing communities and wildlife.
Peatlands are a defining feature of the AHWT, which is commonly referred to as Lisima Lya Mwono (meaning “source of life” in the local Luchazi language). It was recently designated as Angola’s first Ramsar site. The AHWT supplies 95% of the water for the world-renowned Okavango Delta. In addition to the Okavango, it feeds some of Africa’s most important river systems, including the Zambezi, Congo and Kwanza. As a result, it provides food and water for seven countries (Angola, Namibia, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe) and sustains the 520,000-square-kilometer Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area.
In addition to the increased extent of the AHWT’s peatlands, the findings suggest that the peatlands’ age indicates their potentially significant carbon storage and sequestration capacity. Within the survey area, peatlands near the riverbanks have been storing carbon for over 1,100 years, while higher-altitude peatlands have been accumulating carbon for more than 7,000 years.
However, these ancient, immense carbon reservoirs are facing mounting climate pressures, which could turn them into carbon sources and alter their functioning.
“To protect, manage and restore peatland ecosystems, we must know where they exist and map them,” said Mauro Lourenço, lead author of the paper and geospatial ecologist at the Wild Bird Trust, which implements NGOWP’s science and conservation work across the Okavango Basin. “Peatlands could shift from carbon sinks to carbon sources if they are not preserved carefully. This mapping effort helps guide communities, governments and other conservation leaders on where to take action to safeguard them.”
Although peatlands might only cover an estimated 2.28-2.94% of the AHWT region, protecting even this small amount can have an outsized impact on carbon sequestration and water security. However, preserving the peatlands and the carbon they have stored for thousands of years depends on protecting the broader ecological system, including the surrounding miombo forests, aquifers and bodies of water within Kalahari sands.
“The encouraging news is that most of these peatlands are still functioning naturally for now,” said Sekgowa Motsumi, KAZA landscape director for The Nature Conservancy and a co-author of the study. “That gives Angola an opportunity many countries no longer have, to protect these ecosystems before they become degraded, when it’s much more costly to act. Angola should not carry this burden alone. These peatlands provide ecosystem services far beyond Angola’s borders — there is no Okavango Delta or KAZA without Angola’s peat — so downstream countries and the wider international community also have a role in helping finance their protection.”
The map has already helped spark national dialogue in Angola about peatlands and their value — a topic that was long absent from the climate agenda. Historically, data collection in the AHWT has been challenging. The region was at the center of the Angolan Civil War, and landmine remnants restricted access to the area. Specialists from The Halo Trust, a global demining nonprofit, were instrumental in helping researchers safely reach key study sites.
While the study identifies 50 peatland sites — mapped through a combination of satellite imagery, environmental data and existing field observations — to date, the team has mapped over 200 sites to understand peatland extent across the region.
“Rigorous science is the bedrock of lasting conservation. But collecting on-the-ground data in remote landscapes only happens through deep collaboration with communities, governments and like-minded organizations,” said Ian Miller, chief science and innovation officer at the National Geographic Society. “Documenting and protecting just a fraction of peatlands in the Angolan Highlands Water Tower can secure food, water and livelihoods for generations to come. These findings are a meaningful step to both protecting the peatlands of the Angolan Highlands and the greater Okavango Basin.”
This research adds to the evidence base to secure long-term, sustainable protection for the Okavango Basin, starting at its source within the AHWT. It is supported in part by De Beers through the Okavango Eternal partnership, which advances locally led science and supports researchers working across the region, and by TNC, with resources from the Bezos Earth Fund and the Grantham Foundation.
“The designation of Lisima Lya Mwono as Angola’s first Ramsar site was an immense moment of pride, and now, our next step is inspiring locally led management of the region,” said Kerllen Costa, National Geographic Explorer and Angola’s country director for NGOWP. “Uncovering the potential scale of peatlands directly informs the efforts of Fundação Lisima, which implements NGOWP’s work here in Angola, and empowers communities to protect the source of life that sustains our country and our neighbors.”
Okavango Eternal
Okavango Eternal is a 10-year partnership between De Beers Group and the National Geographic Society, which helps support and accelerate the work of the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project. Its purpose is to secure long-term protection of the Okavango River Basin and support conservation-linked livelihood opportunities in the Okavango Delta.
More details about Okavango Eternal are available at www.nationalgeographic.com/okavango-eternal and https://www.debeers.com/en-us/okavangoeternal.html.
About The National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 16,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content.
To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Credit: Source link