 This is the Summary for Policy Makers of the Global Peatlands Assessment (GPA), written to assist decision-makers in advancing sustainable peatland management and encouraging urgent action for their conservation and restoration worldwide. The GPA aims to enhance our understanding of peatlands, including their location, current condition, and strategies for their protection, restoration, and sustainable management. The GPA serves as a valuable baseline for future assessments and sets the stage for the development of a comprehensive global peatland inventory, as called for in the UNEA4/16 Resolution. The assessment includes an updated Global Peatland Map, Regional Peatland Extent Maps, and other Hotspot Maps, highlighting both threats and opportunities for effective peatland management. The GPA, led by UNEP's Global Peatlands Initiative and supported by a group of 226 peatland experts from all regions of the globe, stands as the most comprehensive assessment of peatlands to date. This assessment has been developed to establish the current state of the world’s peatlands.