IUSS Alert 228 (October 2024)

IUSS News

Presidential Election 2024

The IUSS is pleased to welcome Dr. Bruce Lascelles as the new IUSS President Elect. The voting was carried out during the IUSS Inter-Congress in Nanjing, China, on October 23-24, and Dr. Lascelles won with a vast majority. The IUSS would like to congratulate Dr. Lascelles on this prestigious appointment and wishes him all the best for the challenges ahead.

The IUSS is pleased to announce the new Honorary Members elected during the IUSS Inter-Congress in Nanjing, China, on October 23-24.

The IUSS warmly welcomes Prof Ayoade Ogunkunle, Dr. Deli Chen, Prof. Erika Micheli, Prof. Peter Schad, Prof. Rattan Lal, Prof. Sviatoslav Baliuk, Prof. Takashi Kosaki and Dr. Wolfgang Burghardt. The IUSS would like to congratulate the new Honorary Members on this prestigious achievement and express its gratitude for the outstanding contribution the new Honorary Members have given to the progress of Soil Sciences.

The IUSS is pleased to welcome Prof. Cornelius van Huyssteen as the new Chair of the Statutes and Structure Committee, congratulates him on his new appointment and wishes him all the best for his new position. A warm thanks to Prof. Flavio Camargo, the outgoing Chair, for his contribution and effort as the previous Chair of the Committee.

The bids to host the 2034 World Congress of Soil Science, WCSS, are now open, if you are looking forward to it, just like us, find out how you can apply to be the Country host.

The World Congress of Soil Science is the major IUSS international event, so it is never too early to find out everything there is to know on the application process (attachment).

Submit yours within November 1, 2025, to iuss.secretariat@crea.gov.it

IUSS Centennial Conference Proceedings

A message from the IUSS President

Dear colleagues

We’d like to remind you to submit your short paper or extended abstract for the proceedings of the Centennial. This is a historic occasion not to be missed. Few other scientific societies can boast of having published the proceedings of both their founding conference and their centennial conference! The Royal Society of London and a few others in America have done so, but their founding proceedings were always just a few pages. In our case, we will have the opportunity to compare hundreds of contributions on the same soil subjects! Deadline for submission, November 30, 2024.

Attached is the template for the extended abstract/short paper.

For information: iuss.secretariat@crea.gov.it

2024 IUSS World Soil of the Year

The “Chernozem of the Balti Steppe, Moldova” was officially proclaimed as the inaugural “IUSS World Soil of the Year” during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Centennial Congress and Celebration in Florence. Official nomination of this soil was provided by the Soil Science Society of Poland and the Canadian Society of Soil Science, on behalf of the Moldovan Society of Soil Science. Dr. Boris Boincean received the award from IUSS President Edoardo Costantini, on behalf of the Moldovan Society of Soil Science, and then provided an overview of the Chernozems of the Balti Steppe. This was complemented with a presentation, by Dr. Cezary Kabala (Chair of the IUSS WRB Working Group), on the global significance of chernozemic soils.

Further information regarding the 2024 IUSS WSY can be obtained by contacting Dr. Boincean (bboincean@gmail.com).

In recognition of the success of various national programs, the IUSS WSY program has been implemented to enhance soil literacy across numerous countries and on a global scale. It is expected that this will aid in compiling a registry of soil heritage, to recognize the inherent natural and cultural values of soils, thereby helping to open doors for soil science to integrate with environmental protection activities and projects. A dedicated webpage is currently being developed for the WSY program on the IUSS website.

To support promotion of the 2024 IUSS WSY, a special issue of Geoderma Regional will be published with a focus on chernozemic soils internationally – this is now open for submissions. Further details can be obtained by contacting Cezary Kabala (cezary.kabala@upwr.edu.pl).

The IUSS WSY Task Force has been approved as a working group within Division 1 – Soils in Space and Time. The call for applications for IUSS WSY 2025 is now open. Deadline for submission, November 15, 2024.

Inquiries, regarding either participating in the Task Force/Working Group or the 2025 IUSS WSY call, can be directed to the Chair of Division 1, Richard J. Heck: (iuss.div1@gmail.com).

State of the art

The IUSS Divisions, Commissions and Working Groups Chairs can now share their publications on the IUSS Alert. Every month, send your publications to the Secretariat and they will be published here. Please do so within the 15 of every months to make sure your articles will be published on the monthly current issue. Let’s keep our community posted on the progresses of Soil Sciences.

Deadlines
Next Stimulus Fund Call
January 15, 2025
https://www.iuss.org/stimulus-fund/

News from national and regional soil science societies 2024

Frontiers Planet Prize, third edition

The International Science Council is proud to partner for the third year with the Frontiers Planet Prize in recognizing and rewarding exceptional scientists working in sustainability science.

Frontiers Research Foundation has launched the Planet Prize to recognize and reward exceptional scientists. Three prizes worth a total of CHF 3 million (~USD $3.2m) will be awarded in this third edition, to the world’s most innovative sustainability scientists who are able to offer globally scalable solutions which protect and restore planetary health. All domains of science will be considered.

Read more: Frontiers Planet Prize, third edition
Deadline: Applications open until 1 November

United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations

2024 ASA, CSSA, SSSA INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL MEETING AI INNOVATIONS FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE

Date: November 10th – 13th, 2024
Location: San Antonio, Texas and Limited Virtual

Attend the 2024 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting to inspire change in agronomy, crop, and soil sciences to impact scientific advancement. Rapidly changing climate is one of the greatest challenges for modern agriculture around the world. But there is hope! By leveraging advanced modeling tools, remote sensing, machine vision, autonomous machinery, and robots, AI enables improved soil management, climate-smart farming, and accurate forest mapping. Together, let’s harness the power of AI to revolutionize the future of agriculture at the 2024 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting. The American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America jointly host the premier gathering of ideas, solutions, and innovation from across the field of environmental sciences. Our Annual Meeting is equal parts science, networking, collaboration, and camaraderie. We welcome emerging learners and leaders from industry, government agencies, and academic institutions to explore advances in agronomic, crop, and soil sciences.

Indian Society of Soil Science

GLOBAL SOILS CONFERENCE 2024. CARING SOILS BEYOND FOOD SECURITY: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION & ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

Date: November 19th – 22nd, 2024
Location: NASC Complex, New Delhi

Global Soils Conference 2024 will be a significant and prestigious event to be organized by the Indian Society of Soil Science, New Delhi under the aegis of International Union of Soil Sciences of Italy in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research and, New Delhi National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The main objective of the conferences is ‘Caring soils beyond food security: Climate Change mitigation and Ecosystem Services”. This conference aims to address various challenges, issues and concerns/ importance of soils and the latest technology developments in sustainable soil/resource management in the light of the global issues such as food security, soil health improvement, enhancing input use efficiency through new fertilizers, rapid soil assessment techniques, land degradation, environmental quality, biodiversity protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation. The event will enable to assemble a diverse array of stakeholders, including scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, farmers, and environmental advocates, to engage in a comprehensive dialogue about the importance of soils beyond traditional agricultural perspectives.

Conference deadlines:

Regular-Registration: to 17 November 2024
On-site-Registration: 18-22 November 2024

The New Zealand Society of Soil Science (NZSSS)

2024 MOANA OCEANIA SOIL JUDGING COMPETITION

Date: November 28th – 1st, December 2024
Location: Rotorua, New Zealand

This prestigious professional development event aims to develop skills and knowledge in practical soil description and classification for understanding and interpreting soil and land use capability. No experience required.

The competition aims to teach and develop knowledge and practical skills in soil description, classification, and land use interpretation. These skills are vital when it comes to understanding and protecting soil. It is a great opportunity for students, researchers, contractors, council scientists, and anyone interested in soils to learn, network, and experience new landscapes and soils.

The New Zealand Society of Soil Science (NZSSS)

SOILS ROTORUA 2024 – A JOINT NZSSS & SSA CONFERENCE
WEAVING SOIL SCIENCE ACROSS CULTURES & ENVIRONMENTS

Date: December 2nd – 5th, 2024
Location: Rotorua Energy Events Centre, New Zealand

The British Society of Soil Science (BSSS)

THE 2024 BSSS ANNUAL CONFERENCE. SUSTAINABLE SOILS FOR PEOPLE AND PLANET

Date: December 4th – 6th, 2024
Location: Cardiff, UK

The overall conference theme is Sustainable Soils for People and Planet. The packed multi-disciplinary event spanning the built, natural environment and agricultural sectors will provide delegates with a fantastic opportunity to see the latest research and developments within soil science.

Important dates:
Oral abstract submissions will be open until Friday 9 August.
Poster abstract submissions will be open until Friday 6 September.

News from national and regional soil science societies 2025

Digital Soil Mapping Working Group (DSMWG) & GlobalSoilMap working group (GSM WG) of IUSS

3rd JOINT WORKSHOP ON DIGITAL SOIL MAPPING & GLOBAL SOIL MAP. SOIL MAPPING FOR SUSTAINABLE LAND USE PLANNING

Date: January 21st – 24th, 2025
Location: Bengaluru, India

Important dates:
Abstract Acceptance Notification: 1st September 2024
Early Bird Registration Deadline: 1st October 2024

European Confederation of Soil Science Societies

VII INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE ECSSS

Date: September 8th – 12th, 2025
Location: Seville, Spain

EUROSOIL is the official meeting of the European Confederation of Soil Science Societies (ECSSS). It is held every four years and is one of Europe’s most important Soil Sciences events. It provides an excellent opportunity for knowledge transfer among the Soil Sciences community. Over 2000 participants are expected to attend the event and present their findings through oral and poster presentations encompassing all scientific aspects of Soil Science. The event will also feature workshops, and an exhibition of products and services aimed at raising awareness in society, facilitating the exchange of ideas and information, and creating business opportunities offering a platform for researchers, scholars and professionals to exchange knowledge, insights, and innovations. Additionally, during this edition of EUROSOIL, the Iberian Congress of Soil Sciences (CICS) will also be held along with the 1st European Soil Judging Contest in Alicante, one week before the event in Seville.

Deadline:
September 2024: Abstract submission & registration opening
31 March 2025: Early registration deadline
15 May 2025: Regular abstract submission deadline
31 May 2025: Abstract notification to authors
15 June 2025: Regular registration deadline
15 July 2025: Last minute submission (only posters)
8 September 2025: EUROSOIL 2025 starts

Conferences, Meetings and Workshops 2024

8th meeting of the Global Soil Laboratory Network

Date: November 11th – 13th, 2024
Location: FAO Headquarters, Hybrid format

The work of GLOSOLAN supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the mandate of FAO on food security and nutrition

21st working session of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS)

Date: November 18th – 20th, 2024
Location: Virtual meeting, 12:00 to 14:30 CET.

Transformative Soil Science. Graduate Course

Date: November 18th – 20th, 2024
Location: Wageningen Institute for Environment and Climate Research (WIMEK) at Wageningen University & Research.

Alternative methods of understanding soil and for learning how to transform yourself and your research are explored in depth in a three-day graduate course on Transformative Soil Science from 18-20 November 2024.

The course is facilitated by a team of scientists/artists including Kate Foster (https://lnkd.in/eig6sruB), Wietse Wiersma (SOC), Diana E. Lopez, Giulia Bongiorno (SBL), Thomas Kuyper (SBL) and Stephen Sherwood, and is organized by Wageningen Institute for Environment and Climate Research (WIMEK) at Wageningen University & Research.

11th Edition World Soil Day 2024

Date: Novembre 29th to December 5th, 2024
Location: Normandy Region, France

Theme: Soil data and information.

After a successful WSD 2023, the 2024 edition will continue to establish the legitimacy of organizing a large-scale World Soil Day for 4 networks (AFES, Gis Sol, RMT Sols & Territoires and RNEST) in France, and to pursue exchanges on the law on soil health proposed in 2023 by the European Commission.
Finally, AFES, as coordinator of the European SOILSCAPE project (Spreading Open and Inclusive Literacy and Soil Culture through Artistic Practices and Education) funded as part of the objectives of the Mission Soil, this 11th edition of the JMS will continue to strengthen links with artistic players to reach more audiences, potential players in soil preservation.

The program and the speakers will be updated regularly, and the opening of the ticket office is scheduled for mid-October 2024.

Read more: For an overview of the provisional program and further information, go here: https://www.afes.fr/evenements/journee-mondiale-des-sols-2024/

17th International Conference on Soil Micromorphology

Date: December 2nd – 5th, 2024
Location: Puno, Perú

This congress is being proposed as a posthumous tribute to Professor Georges Stoops, who received multiple invitations to participate in soil micromorphology courses offered in Latin America. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, he was unable to attend. The aim of this congress is to provide the micromorphology community with an opportunity to come together in a unique natural setting imbued with historical significance. This gathering intends to foster a sense of camaraderie among fellow enthusiasts dedicated to the study of micropedology. It is precisely for this reason that the proposed theme for this special conference is “Making Friends.”

Budapest Soil Health Forum

Date: December 4th, 2024
Location: Budapest, Hungary

The Budapest Soil Health Forum is to be held in association with the high-level closing event of the Agricultural Chapter of the Hungarian EU presidency.

The Forum aims to bring together leading experts, researchers, and practitioners to discuss the latest advancements and applications of artificial intelligence in enhancing soil health.

The Forum consists of four events, including two international conferences, a workshop and a panel discussion:

• Artificial Intelligence for Soil Health — international conference

• Improving Soil Health: Amendments, Monitoring and Modelling — international conference

• Soil Organic Carbon and Soil Health – conference workshop

• Soil-X-Change: Soil Management Innovation – panel discussion

Join us for a day of insightful presentations, networking opportunities, and collaborative discussions to advance the field of soil health through AI solutions, monitoring, soil management and more.

The registration and participation are free of charge.

Important dates:
Registration for online participation 02 December 2024

Registration and participation are free of charge.

Read more: to register or submit a paper: https://www.soilhealthforum.hu/

World Soil Day – Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage

Date: December 5th, 2024
Location: Worldwide Events

December 5 marks the United Nations World Soil Day (WSD). This year’s campaign, “Caring for soils: measure, monitor, manage” highlights the crucial role of soil data and information for understanding soil health and optimizing its management. It allows us to monitor soil conditions, assess productivity, and adopt targeted practices that improve soil health. However, without reliable information, we miss the opportunity to fully harness soil’s potential to support agriculture, store carbon, and preserve biodiversity.

Let’s make this World Soil Day stand out by spreading the word about the critical role soil data plays in shaping the future of our planet.

International Soil and Water Forum 2024

Date: December 9th – 11 th , 2024
Location: Bangkok, Thailand (Hybrid Event)

The International Soil and Water Forum 2024 will address the critical challenges of water scarcity and soil degradation. Co-organized by FAO and the Government of Thailand, this event will convene global leaders, experts, and stakeholders to develop actionable strategies for transforming agrifood systems.

The forum will be organized along four themes:
Theme 1: Managing water scarcity.
Theme 2: Reversing land degradation, boosting land restoration.
Theme 3: Sustainable soil management.
Theme 4: Integrated climate resilient land, soil and water management.

Conferences, Meetings and Workshops 2025

18th International Symposium on Soil and Plant Analysis.
Advancing Agricultural Science for Global Sustainability

Date: June 9th -13rd, 2025
Pre-Symposium Workshop: June 9th. Post-Symposium Tour: June 14th-16th

Location: Durham, North Carolina USA

The Soil and Plant Analysis Council (SPAC) announces that registration, sponsorship opportunities, and a call for abstracts for the 18th International Symposium on Soil and Plant Analysis (ISSPA) are now open. The meeting of ISSPA 2025 is hosted by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and North Carolina State University and will take place in Durham, North Carolina, USA, June 9 – 13, 2025, in partnership with the Australasian Soil and Plant Analysis Council, Agri-Laboratory Association of Southern Africa, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Global Soil Partnership.

Abstract Deadline: March 7th, 2025
Abstract Acceptance Notification: April 1st, 2025

Read more: International Symposium on Soil and Plant Analysis (ISSPA); info@isspasymposium.org 18th

The Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress, SRI 2025

Date: June 16th -19th, 2025
Location: Chicago, USA e online

The Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress will celebrate its fifth anniversary in Chicago, Illinois, where it will be held from 16-19 June 2025 at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. SRI is an annual convening focused on action-forward, knowledge-based and inclusive approaches to sustainability.

SRI2025 will be the first time the Congress is held in the United States. The event will build on the momentum of Congresses in Australia, South Africa, Panama, and Finland, connecting both in person and around the world with satellite events and interactive online experiences.

The Congress has a global audience with strong participation from industry, governments, civil, non-governmental, Indigenous, and intergovernmental organizations as well as researchers and innovators and the agencies and ministries who fund their forward-looking efforts. Each Congress has attracted around 2000 participants from more than 80 countries.

The SRI Congress series is co-convened by the Belmont Forum and Future Earth. In 2025, we are excited to work with the University of Illinois System to mobilize sustainability solutions in the US and around the world.

SRI2025 will spotlight Pathways to Sustainability, sharing implementation strategies and legacies of successful approaches to critical sustainability concerns facing Chicago, the United States, and the globe. It will also provide opportunities to overcome engagement, policy, resourcing, and other hurdles that slow our transformation to more resilient and equitable futures.

This year’s Congress focuses on Pathways to Sustainable Solutions.

Themes:

One Health: Connecting Human, Animal & Planetary Health
Collaborative Decision-Making: Fostering Connections with Communities
Holistic Solutions: Integrating Food, Energy, Water, and Infrastructure
Innovative Tools: Developing & Deploying New Technologies for Sustainability Solutions

Deadline: SRI2025 invites proposals to the 2025 Congress program by 7 December 2024 (17:00 ET (UTC -4)

Opportunities for the IUSS members 2024-2025

Children’s booklet contest on Soil data and information

In celebration of World Soil Day (WSD) 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), and the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) are launching a scientific children’s booklet contest under the theme: “Caring for Soils: Measure, Manage, Monitor.” This contest provides participants with an opportunity to explain the significance of soil data and information for sustainable soil management, fostering a sense of responsibility, and inspiring children to understand the critical role soil plays for our planet. All shortlisted participants will receive soil-related publications, a certificate of participation, recognition on the IUSS and FAO websites, and soil gadgets. Winning booklets will be showcased on IUSS and FAO’s digital and social media platforms.

Deadline: Submission closes: 17 November 2024 using the online registration form.
Winners announced: 5/12/2024, during World Soil Day official celebration.

FAPESP Young Investigator Grant on South Atlantic Ocean and Antarctic Sciences

FAPESP announces the launch of the first call for proposals for the FAPESP Program for the South Atlantic and Antarctica (PROASA). The program aims to contribute to the generation, dissemination, and application of knowledge through scientific, technological, and innovative approaches in two interconnected yet still little-known planetary compartments (the South Atlantic Ocean and Antarctica).

Deadline: November 25, 2024

Read more: fapesp.br/17075

Singapore Academies South-East Asia Fellowship (SASEAF)

Programme for postgraduate researchers from South-East Asia to Singapore research institutions

The SG Academies South-East Asia Fellowship (SASEAF) Programme aims to facilitate meaningful collaborations between Singapore’s distinguished research institutions and promising postdoctoral researchers from South-East Asia. This fellowship offers a 2-year opportunity to engage in impactful research that contributes to advancements in their respective fields.

Deadline: November 30, 2024
Read more: Call for applications

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and CoSystems Services (IPBES)

Call for nominations for fellows for the methodological assessment of integrated biodiversity-inclusive spatial planning and ecological connectivity (6 Sep 2024 – 24 Jan 2025)

The IPBES fellowship programme, which is part of a larger capacity-building portfolio of activities, targets early-career individuals who wish to gain experience by participating in the work of IPBES. Selected fellows will participate in the preparation of the chapter of the assessment for which they are selected, and their contribution acknowledged as part of the citation for that chapter. Fellows will attend author meetings and receive training to gain an in-depth understanding of the IPBES assessment processes and the science-policy interface. Fellows will also be paired up with a mentor for the assessment period.

Deadline: January 10, 2025
Read more: Call for early-career fellows

Other News

The Healthy Soil Movement Project (2020-2024)

The project focuses on determining the soil conservation methods needed in agricultural areas where wheat is grown in Türkiye in collaboration with the ETİ Burçak. However, methods and applications of restoring soil health and quality differentiate for regions in Türkiye. Thus, the project aims to specify which methods and applications are feasible for different areas in Türkiye and how to disseminate them.

In this context, project objectives are:
1. Encouraging farmers to learn and implement conservation and regenerative agriculture practices with pilot demonstrations.
2. Developing cooperation with public authorities for contributing to disseminating conservation agriculture.
3. Creating a network between academics and farmers to enhance knowledge exchange and share experiences more effectively.

We summarized the project’s main activities to reach these objectives.

For the first objective, two pilot demonstrations have been implemented for four years. Cover crop, crop rotation, no-till, and compost extract practices have been implemented in the pilot demonstrations. Volunteer farmers who sustained pilot implementations in 50 decares saved 85% on fuel and 70% on labor with conservation agriculture practices. After four years of pilot implementations, the soil analysis report proved that soil health is enhancing, especially soil microbial community and available water capacity. Pilot demonstrations are good examples of conservation agriculture done under the actual conditions of farmers. Therefore, we prepared a video series that was released on YouTube to share their experiences with the farmer-to-farmer approach. We are releasing this series on social media and TV channels mostly used and watched by the farmers. We also do activities to share information and experiences about conservation agriculture, such as field days, exchange visits, and giving conservation agriculture manuals. To disseminate conservation agriculture, we granted a no-till machine to the chamber of agriculture of the pilot area. All farmers can use this no-till machine if they want to do no-till farming. Thus, 20 more farmers tried no-till farming using the granted machine in 1655 decares in the pilot area.

We will complete The Healthy Soil Movement project at the end of 2024 and plan to continue. The project has provided a strong foundation on which topic we should focus. In the continuing project, we will focus on the topic on which we can create the most significant impact for extending conservation and regenerative agricultural practices.

Farmer contest: Soil health guardians

The contest aims to raise awareness of soil health and promote sustainable soil management globally by empowering farmers by demonstrating effective and innovative practices to improve soil health. By participating, valuable knowledge will be shared and SSM practices may be included as case studies in GSP publications. There will be the possibility also to have the chance to network with other champion farmers and agricultural experts, fostering collaboration and learning. Additionally, innovative soil management efforts will be recognized internationally, highlighting your contributions to sustainable agriculture.

Submissions closes: 17 November 2024
Announcement of the winners: 5th December 2024

Podcast contest: caring for soils: measure, manage, monitor

Make it easy for kids to understand how soil data and information can be used to assess soil health and productivity, and support sustainable soil management. Create a fun and educational video podcast.

Apply now: registration form https://www.fao.org/world-soil-day/contests/podcast_contest_2024

Submission closes: 17 November 2024
Winners announced: 5 December 2024, during World Soil Day official celebration

New publications

Towards Transformative Soil Science: Who am I in relation to my research?

By: W. Wiersma, D. E. Lopez, First published: 01 August 2024 in European Journal of Soil Science.

The article discusses the importance of asking who we are in relation to our research. The authors argue that soil science can play a leading role in developing transformative spaces in science, in which knowledge is generated by dissolving the often-rigid separation between mind and heart, Self and Other.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13544

A global dataset of gross nitrogen transformation rates across terrestrial ecosystems

By: E. Byun, C. Müller, B. Parisse, R. Napoli, Jin-Bo Zhang, F. Rezanezhad, P. Van Cappellen, G. Moser, A. B. Jansen-Willems, W. H. Yang, R. Urakawa, J. I. Arroyo, U. Neri, A. S. Elrys & P. Nardi. Sci Data 11, 1022 (September 2024).

A dataset has been compiled of gross nitrogen transformation rates (GNtR) of mineralization, nitrification, ammonium immobilization, nitrate immobilization, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium in terrestrial ecosystems.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03871-3

The state of soils in Europe – Fully evidenced, spatially organised assessment of the pressures driving soil degradation

By: Akca E., Aldrian U., Alewell C. et al; European Commission: European Environment Agency, Joint Research Centre, Arias-Navarro, C., Baritz, R. and Jones, A., Arias-Navarro, C.(editor), Baritz, R.(editor) and Jones, A.(editor), Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

This report investigates the intricate interplay between drivers of changes in soil health and pressures and impacts on soil in the 32 European Environment Agency (EEA) member countries, along with six cooperating countries from the West Balkans, Ukraine and UK, shedding light on the multifaceted challenges facing soil conservation efforts. Our analysis shows the complex interactions among various factors, both anthropogenic and natural, shaping soil degradation processes and their subsequent consequences. We highlight key findings, including the significant impacts of soil degradation on agriculture, ecosystem resilience, water quality, biodiversity, and human health, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive soil management strategies. Moreover, our examination of citizen science initiatives underlines the importance of engaging the public in soil monitoring and conservation efforts. This work emphasizes the policy relevance of promoting sustainable soil governance frameworks, supported by research, innovation, and robust soil monitoring schemes, to safeguard soil health and ensure the long-term resilience of ecosystems.

ISSN: 1831-9424 (online), 1018-5593 (print)
ISBN: 978-92-68-20816-8 (online), 978-92-68-20817-5 (print)
DOI: 10.2760/7007291 (online), 10.2760/5897030 (print)
Read more: https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/7007291

Cultivating sustainability: the role of European Food Systems in advancing the SDGs

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By: Borchardt, S., Barbero Vignola, G., Listorti, G., Fronza, V., Guerrieri, V., Acs, S., Buscaglia, D., Maroni, M. and MARELLI, L., Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2024.

EU food systems resemble complex webs of relationships spanning supply chains, consumption patterns, ecosystems, human health, and planetary boundaries and demand systemic approaches for fostering a transition towards more sustainable outcomes. The Farm to Fork Strategy outlines a vision for such a transition to align healthy societies with a healthy planet, presenting an integrated pathway for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. However, the complexity emerging from the interactions inside those systems hamper a clear understanding of what should constitute sustainable EU food systems, and which SDGs are addressed by them. This report identifies key sustainability elements in food system conceptualizations, including environmental, economic, social, and governance aspects. These elements are then linked to the SDGs to demonstrate how sustainable food systems can advance them in an integrated manner. The current state of progress on food system-related SDGs is discussed, highlighting challenges and opportunities. The report further contextualizes relevant SDG interlinkages to shed light on the dynamic interactions that drive system behavior. Findings highlight food systems’ potential to address multiple SDGs directly (notably SDG 2, 3, 6, 8, 12, 13, 15, and 17) and the entire 2030 Agenda through SDG interlinkages. This report details the complexities, challenges, and pathways towards achieving a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food system aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

DOI: 10.2760/5043740
ISBN: 978-92-68-20814-4 (online)
ISSN: 1831-9424 (online)
Read more: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC137661

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