World Soil Day

The International Soil Science Union (IUSS), at its 17th World Congress, held in Bangkok in August 2002, designated December 5 as World Soil Day. It is intended as an annual symbol of the importance of soil as a natural resource. The motto of International Soil Day 2022 is "Soil - Where food begins." The diverse soil functions are fundamental to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. With arable soil as Soil of the Year 2023, next year's Soil of the Year campaign will focus on the agricultural use of soils in Germany.

Integrative soil conservation can do much to address the three planetary crises (climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution). Currently, however, many soils are suffering from climate change and its impacts. Severe weather events, wind and water erosion, soil compaction, acidification, building development, and sealing of soil further strain it. On December 6, 2022, the Soil Protection Commission at the Federal Environment Agency will hold a symposium to discuss why the diverse soil functions are so important for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, what integrative soil protection can contribute to overcoming the three planetary crises, and where soil protection should move at the EU level.

More information about the international World Soil Day is available here.

More information on the expert conference of the Soil Protection Commission at the Federal Environment Agency can be found here.

You can also Touring exhibition: The thin skin of the earth - our soils learn more about the functions and diversity of our soils. From November 20, 2022 to March 19, 2023, the exhibition will be a guest at the Museum of Natural History in Bielefeld.