Climate-concerned gardeners demand UK ban on peat compost

Exclusive: voluntary approach to environmental travesty' is an abject failure, say Alan Titchmarsh and others

The UK government must ban the sales of peat compost this year after its goal of a voluntary phaseout by 2020 proved an abject failure", according to a group of gardening experts, conservationists and scientists.

Peat bogs store huge amounts of carbon and must be retained to help tackle the climate crisis. In a letter to the environment secretary, George Eustice, seen by the Guardian, the group say the UK as host of the UN climate summit talks this year should show leadership on the issue.