Tropical peatlands are found in more than 80 countries, yet they remain among the least understood and monitored of the world’s ecosystems. Conducting new integrated research and development is paramount to informing proper prioritization between countries’ sometimes competing climate and development goals, and finding ways for peatland conservation, management and restoration to serve as a plausible aid to both. Peatland management is more advanced in some countries than others. This offers valuable opportunities for South-South cooperation and the sharing of lessons learned in peatland policy- and decision-making processes.