Soils are on the EU agenda!
Soil counts itself among the give European Missions, sharing the space with climate change adaptation, fighting cancer, climate neutral and smart cities, and ocean and water restoration. Soil's inclusion in this group highlights the role it will play in addressing the polycrisis of climate change, population growth and urbanisation and environmental and human health.
While soils have often been overlooked, they are now prominently back on the agenda. The Soil Mission is pushing soil health research and innovation with a large number of projects. Especially of note is the focus on the science-policy-practice interaction within the Mission. Examples include projects such as SPADES, which research tools for protecting soil at the local level. SPADES is particularly interested in how spatial planning and design can integrate soils into existing processes, in order to make more resilient and sustainable spatial plans that maintain or improve soil health. This work is done by planners and soil researchers and practitioners together.
Next to the mission, there is now, after an earlier attempt, soil legislation on the EU level. The Soil Monitoring Directive Law was adopted on Sept 29, 2025. Though there are some discussions about the ambition level, this is good news for soils in Europe. The overarching aspirational goal is to achieve healthy soils across Europe by 2050. With the current assessment that up to 70% of soils are unhealthy, there are some steps for us to make - in science, in policy and in practice. We need action for soil health across EU member states. Iniatiatives like the Soil Monitoring Law and Mission Soil are an important start, by clarifying that soil health will play a key role in addressing the environmental polycrisis. Investing in soil now will have positive implications at the national, regional and local level in the years to come.
Learn about the Soil Monitoring Law: Council adopts new rules for healthier and more resilient European soils - Consilium
Learn about the EU Missions: EU Missions in Horizon Europe - Research and innovation
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