by Matteo Cavallito<\/p>\n
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You have time until April 27th to take part to a public consultation<\/a> on European Soil Strategy<\/a> launched by the EU Commission<\/strong>. Just like other similar actions<\/a> on environmental sustainability issues, the initiative aims to involve “citizens and organisations called to contribute<\/a> to the preparation of the Strategy and share their views on potential objectives and actions\u201d. On several occasions the Commission has already stressed to consider soil protection as a priority<\/a> under the Green Deal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a well known argument: \u201cA lack of a comprehensive and coherent policy framework to protect land and soil may limit Europe\u2019s ability to achieve its goals including the Green Deal\u201d says the Commission, which shares a view already expressed by the European Environmental Agency<\/strong>. In Europe – where the land at high or very high risk of desertification has increased by almost 180,000 km2<\/a> in less than 10 years – soil degradation<\/strong> is an obvious source of concern. Desertification, sealing, contamination and erosion are just some of the main threats<\/a>. And the list of their consequences \u2013 including the increase of CO2 emissions<\/strong>, hydrogeological instability, loss of ecosystem services and food safety concerns – is equally disturbing.<\/p>\n Early this year, the soil plan was adopted as part of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030<\/a>. It was an inevitable choice, according to Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevi\u010dius. \u201cA quarter of our planet\u2019s biodiversity<\/strong> is present in soil\u201d \u00a0he said. ” We must equip the European Union with a robust soil policy that will allow us to reach our ambitious climate, biodiversity and food security goals\u201d. By placing the protection of biodiversity at the core of the strategy, the EU is also embracing FAO<\/strong>‘s call for globally coordinated initiatives<\/a> on the issue. Over the years, Brussels has signed a number of international agreements<\/a> on this matter, starting with the 1992 UN Convention for Biological Diversity<\/a>.<\/p>\nWithout soil protection, EU goals at risk<\/h5>\n
Biodiversity at the centre of the Strategy<\/h5>\n