European soil is overlooked as a strategic asset while it is gradually being destroyed. Despite the European Union having the necessary tools for action, there is a need for a comprehensive framework to encourage farmers to access financial rewards for measurable soil outcomes.
The Importance of Soil as a Vital Infrastructure
Soil is considered part of the landscape, while in reality, it is a vital infrastructure. This infrastructure forms the basis of our food systems and produces 95 percent of the food consumed globally. Additionally, European soils store about 75 billion tons of carbon, and their porous structure acts as a barrier against droughts and floods. However, according to a report by the European Commission, it is estimated that 60 to 70 percent of the EU's soils are unhealthy, and their degradation costs the economy over 50 billion euros ($58 billion) annually.
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The Need for a Comprehensive Framework
The problem is that what is not measured cannot be protected. When the soil ecosystem of a country collapses, its GDP hardly changes, even though it becomes clearly poorer. The European Union has tools for action, including the Soil Monitoring Law that came into effect last December, which establishes a common framework for assessing carbon content, erosion, biological activity, and water retention and infiltration capacity. However, what the EU lacks is a comprehensive program to connect these actions and turn healthy soil into an advantage for those who preserve it.
Ultimately, implementing a comprehensive program to identify and reward the ecosystem services that healthy soil provides can help increase economic resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate crises. While some may argue that Europe cannot take on these commitments, the reality is that dead soil leads to reduced production and increased food prices, which ultimately incurs higher costs.
As a result, Europe must strengthen its efforts to create a soil alliance and prioritize this issue in international conferences such as the United Nations Biodiversity Conference and the Climate Change Conference.
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