Soil Protection
PANEL OF EXPERTS
01 Mission
02 Experts
03 Activity
04 EU Policy
Mission
Soil is, among other definitions, the end product of the combined influence of geological processes, climate and organisms (flora, fauna and human) on parent geology over time. Soil is increasingly recognized as a vital and finite asset, playing a fundamental role in supporting the availability and quality of human basic resources such as food and water, which encompasses social and economic welfare. Soil is the basis of our forests and crops, which provide a variety of fibres, fuels, genetic resources, medicinal products and energy. It also provides regulating services such as pollution control, rainwater distribution and erosion control, and is capable of acting both as a source and sink of carbon.
In terms of perception of likelihood and impact, soil degradation is among the most pressing environmental challenges facing us, together with other environmental risks such as biodiversity loss and man-made environmental disasters. Soil degradation is also connected to societal risks like food crises and large-scale involuntary migration. Protection and management of this resource are embedded at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015.
It is the panel mission to observe this so surprisingly huge range of topics and provide added value by linking technical and scientific knowledge with communication and outreach for coherence in European policymaking on soil protection.
Objectives/Position
– To provide a core of expertise within EFG that relates to soils and soil protection.
– To observe changes in policy and regulation that affect soils at a European level, and to respond with advice when appropriate opportunities arise.
– To develop a common European platform of geological understanding with regard to the soils (reference terms, methodology, data analysis, statistics).
Global Risks Landscape
Degrading environment trend. Deterioration in the quality of air, soil and water from ambient concentrations of pollutants and other activities and processes. Risks most strongly driven by this trend: Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, Water crises, Man-made environmental disasters.
Experts
Gabriele Ponzoni
Coordinator of Soil Protection
Activities
The EFG Soil Panel bridges science and policy to support effective soil protection, contributing to European standardization efforts since 2010.
November 2024
Launch of EFG Policy Manifesto: Geology’s Vital Contribution to European Competitiveness
The Panel of Experts on Soils uses a thorough understanding of the technical and scientific matters that relate to soil protection on a range of scales to be in a position where it can inform policy, and assist policymakers in drafting or modifying appropriate regulation. EFG has a liaison with the CEN, European Committee for Standardization, Technical Committee on Characterization of Soils, TC345, since September 2010.
EFG supports EU soil policy through expert advice, contributions to key reports like the Soil Health Law and FAO’s Global assessment of soil pollution, and by endorsing the Mission Soil Manifesto.
EFG response to the EU Soil Health Act proposal
In October 2023, EFG submitted feedback on the European Commission’s Soil Health Law proposal. Read our response here.
EFG endorses Mission Soil Manifesto
The Manifesto aims to gather regional and local policy-makers, as well as all interested stakeholders and citizens into a dynamic community engaged around the topic of soil health.
As a signatory of the Manifesto, EFG commits in particular to:
– Advance soil-related research and/or innovation (management, technologic, product, social innovation
– Promote or take part in the co-creation of solutions, in particular through work in living labs and/or lighthouses
– Raise awareness on the importance of soil, enhance training, education and advise and enlarge the community that is taking care of this resource through outreach
– Promote soil protection and restoration through policy-making and programming of funds.
– Support the deployment of practices for sustainable land management
European Geologist 52: Soil - our endangered food base
Sustainable land-use alternatives in tropical rainforests? Evidence from natural and social sciences by Jörg Matschullat, Roberval Monteiro Bezerra de Lima, Sophie F. von Fromm, Gilvan Coimbra Martins, Mauana Schneider, Armin Mathis, Andrea Malheiros Ramos, Alexander Plessow and Kelly Kibler
GEMAS: Geochemistry of European agricultural and grazing land soil by Alecos Demetriades, Clemens Reimann, Manfred Birke, Philippe Négrel, Anna Ladenberger, Timo Tarvainen, Martiya Sadeghi and The GEMAS Project Team
Global assessment of soil pollution: The need for standardized methods by Frank P.J. Lamé, Klaus Liphard, Marleen Schoemaker and Theresa Geßwein
A US Perspective on Soil Pollution: Observations, Conclusions, and Recommendations by Barney Paul Popkin
The full issue is also available for online reading at the following link.
Contribution to FAO report “Global assessment of soil pollution
On 4 June 2021, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations released its “Global assessment of soil pollution” which addresses the extent and future trends of soil pollution and describes the risks and impacts of soil pollution on health, the environment and food security.
Over the last three years, EFG has actively supported the preparation of this state-of-the-art report through the involvement of its External Relations Officer, Dr Pavlos Tyrologou, a member of the EFG board and the Panel of Experts on Soil Protection.
The process to develop the report involved in-depth regional assessments of soil pollution, and the regional chapters provide an overview of soil pollution issues at a global scale. The Editorial Board comprised more than 30 international experts. In this context, EFG co-authored chapter 13 of the report and participated in the external reviewers’ team.
The report can be accessed at http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cb4894en.
Further resources are available here.
General
Publications
EU Soil Strategy: Contribution to the public consultation, April 2021
Collaboration with EuroGeoSurveys on reaction to the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the protection of soil and amending Directive 2004/35/EC, September 2006.
Monitoring the EU policy
EU funding:
EU institutions involved:
Commission:
– DG Environment: Soil
Parliament:
– Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
JRC:
– European Soil Portal
– Soil at JRC
Relevant EU documents:
– Land Degradation and Desertification March 2009
– Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the protection of soil and amending Directive 2004/35/EC, September 2006
– Communication from the Commission to the council, the European Parliament, The Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of Regions: Thematic Strategy on the sustainable use of natural resources, December 2005.
– Assessment and reporting on soil erosion Background and workshop report, European Environment Agency, 2003.
– Communication from the Commission to the council, the European Parliament, The Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of Regions: Towards a Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection, April 2002.
– European soil monitoring and assessment framework, EIONET workshop proceedings. European Environment Agency, 2001.
– Down to earth: Soil degradation and sustainable development in Europe, A challenge for the 21st century, Environmental issue series No 16, European Environmental Agency, 2000.
Events
Other publications we invite you to consult
International Year of Soils (IYS) 2015
– Events
– Educational Material related to the International Year of Soils 2015, for children ages 5 to 13.
Publications
– Soil Atlas 2015 – The Soil Atlas 2015 presents facts and figures about earth, land and fields; its broad-ranging significance and its current state in Germany, Europe and the world.
– Soils: Introducing the World Beneath Our Feet – Learn about soils, the variety of life they contain and how humans impact this fragile system, with this free online course.
– Educational Card Game: the hidden life of soils (+8). Download the game, print it and play.
– 2012 Annual report of the IUGS/IAGC Task Group on ‘Global Geochemical Baselines’ UK Soil Observatory British Society of Soil Science
