Peatlands are some of the best environments for storing carbon; thus, comprehending how much carbon can be stored and how amounts have changed through time is important to understand carbon cycling. We analysed nine peatlands from central–eastern Europe to look at how carbon storage in mountain bogs has changed over the last 10 000 years. We conclude that human activity is the main driver of changes in storage levels over the past 4000 years; prior to this, climate was the primary driver.