On 17.11.21, the European Commission presented the new strategy for soil protection to 2030, in partial execution of the
EU Green Deal
and the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy.
The document – titled ‘Reaping the benefits of healthy soils for people, food, nature and climate‘ (1) – will be followed by a proposal for new EU rules, by 2023. But only a shared political determination toward agroecology will bring Europe closer to, rather than further away from, the stated 2030 goals. ABC to follow.
(A) SOIL, A FINITE ECOLOGICAL RESOURCE
The integrity and health of soils are crucial to life on Earth, for it does depend on them:
– 95 percent of food production and at least 25 percent of biodiversity, planet-wide,
– key ecosystem services including carbon absorption, water purification, and pest control,
– The prevention of floods and landslides, droughts and desertification. (1)
Concrete jungle
Europe is home to an enormous variety of soils, 24 of the 32 major groups surveyed on earth, each with its own identity and specific characteristics. This wealth is an asset that must be protected and preserved for future generations.
However, 60-70% of soils in the EU are in a poor state of health to the point of degradation and desertification. And one billion tons of soil is lost, each year, to erosion largely due to the overuse of herbicides, pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers.
Cementification-in devouring, every year, 40,000 hectares (400 km2) of land in the EU-overlooks the need to reuse areas where soil has already been occluded. In fact, only 13.5 percent of urban development interventions involve the rehabilitation and regeneration of brownfield sites.
Soil fragility and protection needs
The fragility of the soil-whose degradation, in different areas of the planet, is estimated to vary between 50 and 70 percent-is linked to the biblical time for its formation. Indeed, it takes 1,000 years to form an inch of topsoil, which therefore qualifies as a finite, nonrenewable resource.
The most serious threats to soils in the EU have been identified as climate change, sealing, compaction erosion, loss of biodiversity and organic matter, salinization and acidification. However, the resulting hydrogeological degradation and instability have not been addressed, except to a partial extent, in European and member state legislation.
(B) EU SOIL PROTECTION STRATEGY.
The European Commission, as part of the Green Deal, adopted two proposed regulations and a strategy in 2021 that are relevant-though indirectly- with respect to soil protection:
– Proposal 17.11.21 for a regulation on making available on the EU market and exporting certain goods and products related to deforestation and forest degradation. COM (2021) 706 final,
– Proposal 14.7.21 to amend Reg. (EU) 2018/841, so called LULUCF(Land use, land-use change, and forestry). To define member states’ goals, by 2030, with a collective commitment to collectively achieve climate neutrality in land use, agriculture and forestry (i.e., forest conservation. See footnote 2) by 2035,
– EU climate change adaptation strategy. Shaping a Climate Resilient Europe. (3)
EU Soil Strategy for 2030
The EU Soil Strategy for 2030 – in line with the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 4/28/21, with 605 votes in favor, 55 against and 41 abstentions (4.5) – finally lays the groundwork for the protection, restoration and sustainable use of soil through appropriate EU-level legislative measures. Similar to those already established for the protection of water(drinking and agricultural, still awaiting rules on microplastics), marine ecosystem and atmosphere.
Terrestrial soils constitute the largest carbon store, estimated at about 2,500 gigatons, TNT (equal to 2,500 billion tons). Compared with 800 TNT in the atmosphere and 560 TNT of animal and plant life. Healthy soils are therefore also crucial to mitigating the climate emergency, as they absorb about 25 percent of the CO2 equivalent(carbon footprint) emitted each year through fossil fuel use and other anthropogenic activities.
EU strategy, 2030 targets
The EU strategy presented by the European Commission on 17.11.21 indicates the medium-term goals to be achieved by 2030:
– combat desertification, restore degraded lands, including those affected by desertification, drought and flooding. Take action to stop planet-wide land degradation, #SDG15.3,
– To restore large areas of degraded, carbon-rich ecosystems, including soils,
– Achieve the climate neutrality target in land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), with net EU greenhouse gas removals of 310 mln t/year of CO2 equivalent,
– Achieve good ecological and chemical conditions in surface water and good chemical and quantitative conditions in groundwater by 2027. A pious illusion, at least in Italy, given the annual ISPRA reports,
– Reduce nutrient loss, use and risks resulting from synthetic pesticides and herbicides by at least 50 percent (-50 percent) and the use of the most hazardous pesticides (-50 percent) by 2030. Another unattainable goal without an ecological transition in agriculture that failed in the 2022-2027 CAP (non-)reform, as seen,
– Make significant progress in the remediation of contaminated soils.
EU strategy, long-term goals
The long-term goals, whose target is set in Brussels by 2050, in turn include:
– Achieve zero net land consumption, (6)
– reduce soil pollution ‘to levels no longer considered harmful to human health and natural ecosystems and remain within limits that our planet can sustain, so as to create a toxic-free environment‘, (7)
– Achieving climate neutrality in Europe,
– ‘achieving by 2050 a climate change resilient society in the EU, fully adapted to its inevitable effects‘.
Economics and resilience of food systems
The economics and resilience of food systems are closely linked to the health of soils, which is achieved when they have good chemical, biological, and physical conditions so as to ‘continuously provide as many of the following ecosystem services as possible:
– produce food and biomass, including in agriculture and forestry,
– absorb, store and filter water and transform nutrients and substances, so as to protect groundwater bodies,
– Laying the foundation for life and biodiversity, including habitats, species and genes,
– Serve as a carbon reservoir,
– Provide a physical platform and cultural services for people and their activities,
– To serve as a source of raw materials,
– Establish an archive of geological, geomorphological and archaeological heritage.”
(C) INTEGRATED APPROACH
The context analysis proposed by the Commission, of undoubted scientific value, shows the need to protect soil with an integrated approach. Indispensable first and foremost in monitoring and risk analysis activities on the basis of which to define specific objectives and measures. Therefore, the strategy considers EU rules and initiatives that in various aspects also affect soils (see image).
Challenges and solutions
The challenges to be addressed and solutions to be considered, set out in the various chapters of the paper, pertain to, among other things:
– Net absorption values in soil management (LUCLUF sector). Negative trend (-20% between 2013-2018) to be reversed through limits on wetland drainage and organic soils, as well as incentives for sustainable agriculture including the carbon farming initiative, (8)
– Recovery and reuse (traceability and circular economy) of excavated soil,
– Hierarchy of land use planning, reporting and mitigation of net land consumption,
– recycling of organic materials (e.g., compost, digestate, sewage sludge, processed manure, and other agricultural residues),
– monitoring of soil biodiversity, in synergy with the FSDN(Farm Sustainability Data Network) and LUCAS(Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey) networks,
– desertification control, including through special initiatives such as The Great Green Wall and
Regreening Africa
,
– Reform of the directive on the sustainable use of pesticides (dir. 2009/128/EC). Still waiting for an updated National Plan, in Italy, by the way.
Agroecology and soil protection
The concept of ‘sustainable agriculture,’ as it turns out, is rather equivocal. Where, on the other hand, agroecology-which coincides de facto with organic production, albeit regardless of the relevant certifications-finds international consensus in the 10 principles defined by FAO (2019) in the Guidelines for Sustainable Land Management, (9) recalled in fact in the EU Soil Protection Strategy.
In fact, the set of agro-ecological principles underlie the EU biodiversity and Farm to Fork strategies. (10) With ‘goals of restoring at least 10 percent of farmland to high diversity landscape features, reducing nutrient loss, risk and use of chemical pesticides, increasing the percentage of farmland devoted to organic farming, and increasing the level of organic matter in soils.’
Organic farming and soil protection
‘There is evidence that carbon levels in soils can improve if agricultural production systems use organic practices. (11) Similarly, agroforestry brings many benefits to soil health and climate change adaptation.
Other sustainable practices include cover crops, crop rotation, incorporation of crop residues, cultivation on contour lines in slopes, non-use of heavy machinery, use of compost, avoidance of conversion to arable land, conversion to pasture, continuous soil cover, reduced use of plowing and chemical components.‘
Regenerative agriculture and free soil health testing
Regenerative agriculture and practices for ‘sustainable soil management’-in line with agro-ecological principles and the wide variety of ecosystems and soil types available in the EU-will be described in a document to be prepared by the Commission after consultation with member states and stakeholders. Also identifying unsustainable land management practices.
The initiative ”Test the Soil for Free‘ will be promoted by Brussels in all member states, taking a cue from the French BDAT system (
Base de Données d’Analyses des Terres.
). ‘Knowing more about soil characteristics (pH, bulk density, soil organic matter, nutrient balance, etc.) will help those who use it adopt the best management practices.’
Economic value of soils
The sampling system and soil analysis developed over the years through the LUCAS survey will be used by the Commission to assist member states in setting up a system–funded with national funds, it is presumed under rural development funds–that tests soils of users who request it free of charge, reporting the test results to them. ‘This will complement the current soil sampling requirements of member states.’
Among other things, the Brussels executive plans to ‘assess the feasibility of introducing a soil health certificate for land purchases and sales, so that buyers are informed about the main characteristics and health of the soil on the site they intend to purchase.’ A further prospect of enhancing agroecology, which it is easy to predict will be opposed by the agricultural confederations-in liaison with the agrochemical giants-already engaged in boycotting the ecological transition.
#SDG15, Life on Earth. #SDG12, Sustainable Consumption and Production.
Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) EU Soil Strategy for 2030 Reaping the benefits of healthy soils for people, food, nature and climate. COM/2021/699 final, https://bit.ly/3IyG7KM
(2) European Commission. Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulations (EU) 2018/841 as regards the scope, simplifying the compliance rules, setting out the targets of the Member States for 2030 and committing to the collective achievement of climate neutrality by 2035 in the land use, forestry and agriculture sector, and (EU) 2018/1999 as regards improvement in monitoring, reporting, tracking of progress and review. COM/2021/554 final. https://bit.ly/3dAHCtC
(3) Forging a climate-resilient Europe – the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change. COM/2021/82 final. https://bit.ly/3Iricx7
(4) European Parliament. Resolution on soil protection. 2021/2548(RSP), https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/printsummary.pdf?id=1660535&l=en&t=D
(5) Dario Dongo and Alessandra Mei. Soil protection, the European Parliament calls for binding rules. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 25.4.20, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/protezione-del-suolo-il-parlamento-europeo-chiede-regole-vincolanti
(6) See in this regard the Roadmap to a Resource-Efficient Europe, COM(2011)571, and the Seventh EU Environment Action Programme (Decision No. 1386/2013/EU).
(7) A pathway to a healthier planet for all – EU Action Plan Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil, COM(2021)400
(8) European Commission (2021). Setting up and implementing result-based carbon farming mechanisms in the EU. https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/10acfd66-a740-11eb-9585-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
(9) Dario Dongo, Camilla Fincardi. Agroecology, SDGs, salvation. FAO’s decalogue. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 12.4.20, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/agroecologia-sdgs-salvezza-il-decalogo-della-fao
(10) Dario Dongo. Farm to Fork, resolution in Strasbourg. Focus on pesticides and fertilizers. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 10/23/21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/farm-to-fork-risoluzione-a-strasburgo-focus-su-pesticidi-e-fertilizzanti
(11) Gattinger Andreas, Müller Adrian, Haeni Matthias, Skinner Colin, Fliessbach Andreas, Buchmann Nina, Mäder Paul, Stolze Matthias, Smith Pete, Scialabba Nadia, Niggli Urs. (2012). Enhanced top soil carbon stocks under organic farming. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 109. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1209429109
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
