The European Commission has today (Wednesday, July 5) published its proposal for the first-ever EU legislation on soil quality.
The ‘Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience’, aims to restore EU soil health by 2050.
Soils host more than 25% of all biodiversity and are the second-largest carbon pool of the planet.
Up to 70% of EU soils are classed as being “in a poor state”, while over 80% of them contain pesticide residues.
Soil degradation impacts fertility, yields, pest resistance and nutritional food quality, the commission said.
Soil quality
The new directive will have a “staged approach” and will initially focus on setting up the soil monitoring framework and assessing the situation throughout the EU.
The commission has proposed that member states establish “soil districts” to monitor and assess soil health.
These districts will be overseen by a “competent authority” appointed by the member state.
However, the proposed directive would not impose an obligation to achieve healthy soils by 2050, nor does it set down any intermediate targets.
“This proportionate approach will allow sustainable soil management and regeneration of unhealthy soils to be well prepared, incentivised and set in motion,” the commission said.
When the results of the first assessment of soils are available, the commission will “propose a review of the directive if necessary to accelerate progress towards 2050”.
EU Commission
EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius said that there are over three million potentially contaminated sites across the EU as a result of industrial pollution.
“This is costing our economy more than €50 billion every year. On top of that, droughts now cost us around €9 billion every year.
“Healthy soils are natural water reservoirs. But when soil quality falls, the moisture content falls as well.
“That has led to a situation where desertification is now a real threat in several member states,” he said.
“This will become the first EU law on soil. Our ultimate objective is to achieve healthy soils by 2050, so that harm to people and environment is avoided, in line with our zero-pollution ambition.
“Importantly, this will allow us to assess the state of soils. Authorities and landowners will be able to take measures to improve conditions, so that soil can deliver its crucial functions.
“Better data will allow [us] to make the best out of precision farming, increasing yields while actually reducing water and fertiliser use.”
The directive does not impose any direct obligations on landowners or farmers but proposes sustainable management principles and regenerative practices that will allow farmers and foresters to enhance the quality of soils.
“These practices will increase carbon sequestration and water retention, which in turn will help reduce the effects of natural disasters and other systemic changes caused by climate change,” Sinkevicius said.
Speaking from Brussels following the announcement, Grace O’Sullivan, Ireland South Green Party MEP, said:
“As the basis of our food systems, soil degradation is one of the most important aspects of the overall collapse in healthy natural ecosystems that we have been witnessing for the last few decades as a result of human activity.
“When I negotiated the EU’s Environment Action [Programme] targets two years ago, a key demand was an EU-wide framework for the protection and sustainable use of soil, so I am glad to see it finally come to fruition today.”
The directive will now come before the EU Parliament and Council for negotiations.
A previous proposal had been made in 2006 but was blocked by a number of member states.