During the period under investigation, soil sealing covered almost 1,500 km2. Photo: Pxhere CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution requiredPxhere CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution required

Europe has lost 3,600 km2 of soil due to land take in seven years

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Between 2012 and 2018, soil loss mainly affected suburbs and semi-rural areas that play a key role in ecological balance with severe consequences for the climate, the European Environment Agency says
Peat clods cut to be used for horticulture and gardening. An activity that endangers the survival of the precious peat bogs. PHOTO: bernswaelz from a href = "https://pixabay.com/it/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1263431"> Pixabay

The UK proposal: “No more peat for gardening”

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Peatlands are essential carbon sinks. But conservation efforts are threatened by the use of peat for gardening and horticulture. In 2020, 2.3 million cubic meters were used in the United Kingdom. The Wildlife Trusts propose to definitively ban this practice
La siccità è favorita dal cambiamento climatico e contribuisce essa stessa ad alimentare ulteriormente il fenomeno. Foto: Pixabay License Libera per usi commerciali Attribuzione non richiesta

Drought, invertebrates, and carbon: the vicious cycle affecting soil and climate

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Drought limits the action of invertebrates and their ability to store organic carbon in soil, according to research from Switzerland. A finding with obvious implications for climate change
Quasi il 98% delle segnalazioni relative a pratiche di deforestazione illegale nell’Amazzonia brasiliana non è stato oggetto di indagine. Foto: Kate Evans/CIFOR Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Deforestation unpunished in Brazil as the government ignores almost every alert

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Between 2019 and 2020, about 98 percent of reports of deforestation did not lead to formal action in Brazil, a research has found. The country's environmental policy is under fire. As Amazon destruction has reached the highest rate in 15 years
By 2070, the Planet's soils are at risk of losing 40 percent of their biological crusts. Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)USFWS Mountain-Prairie Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

The world may lose biological crusts due to climate change

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Biological crusts are crucial to the survival of the soil and its ecosystem. But climate change now threatens to wipe them out, a study from Geological Survey has warned
During the 21st century, Nigeria has lost more than one million hectares of forest. Photo: Terry Sunderland/CIFOR Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)Terry Sunderland/CIFOR Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Fires and poverty fuel deforestation in Nigeria

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From 2002 to 2021, the protected area in southwest Nigeria lost 45 percent of its primary forest. The burden of fires is crucial. Socioeconomic and demographic factors are driving the trend
Fish smoking and the resulting demand for firewood are a major driver of deforestation. Photo: T.K. Naliaka Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)T.K. Naliaka Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Smoked fish is driving deforestation up in Congo-Brazzaville

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In the Republic of Congo, growing demand for firewood is fueling deforestation. After mangroves, alarm now extends to inland forests
Soil health issue at the center of the #Soils4Nutrition photo contest, launched by FAO as part of the Global Symposium on Soils for Nutrition in July. Photo: CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution required CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution required

FAO is launching a photo contest dedicated to soil issues

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Soil value is the focus of #Soils4Nutrition, the new photo contest launched by FAO. From war consequences to the micronutrient challenge, food security is increasingly in the spotlight. Submission closes on July 10
In the 21st century, 90 percent of deforestation affected tropical forests, which lost 157 million hectares from 2000 to 2018. Photo: Kate Evans/CIFOR Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)Kate Evans/CIFOR Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Deforestation slows but global forests are still in danger

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The results of the latest FAO survey: agriculture and livestock fuel forests destruction. Tropical regions are the epicenter of the problem. The protection of forested areas could save 3.6 billion tons of CO2 each year.
Wetlands store the most carbon per unit area. Photo: Kelly Fike/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region Public Domain Mark 1.0Kelly Fike/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region Public Domain Mark 1.0

Carbon sequestration should address the tough balance between climate and biodiversity

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Carbon sequestration is an important tool for climate protection, EEA study says. But some practices to promote storage can reduce natural capital. The European agency ranked different terrestrial and marine habitats according to their storage capacity