Call for Abstracts: “Soils in Spatial Planning and Design” – Join the SPADES Session at EGU 2026!
Healthy soils are the foundation of sustainable land use – supporting agriculture, forestry, nature, and urban life while providing vital ecosystem services. Yet across Europe, soil health is under increasing pressure from land take, pollution, erosion, and climate change. To meet the needs of our growing cities and ensure food security, clean water, and healthy living environments, we must rethink how we plan and design our landscapes – starting from the ground up.
The SPADES project is proud to host the session “Soils in Spatial Planning and Design” at the EGU General Assembly 2026. This session will explore how planning and design practices can integrate soil care to enhance resilience, avoid trade-offs, and support both ecological and social well-being.
Although the EU Mission Soil recognizes spatial planning as key to achieving land degradation neutrality, soils remain largely invisible in planning practice and education. Policy- and decision-makers, landowners, and planners often overlook the opportunities and limitations of soils and subsoils. SPADES aims to bring these unseen layers into the spotlight – fostering a deeper understanding of how spatial planning and soil health can work together.
Call for abstracts
We invite researchers, planners, designers, and practitioners to contribute to this discussion by sharing insights, case studies, and innovative approaches that link soil science and spatial planning.
Deadline for abstract submission: 15 January 2026, 13:00 CET
Submit your abstract: https://administrator.copernicus.org/authentication.php
Submission guidelines: https://www.egu26.eu/authors/how-to-submit.html
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