Europe's Green Strategy: Revitalizing Soil Health with Technology and Experimental Sites
The European Union (EU) is taking significant strides towards improving soil health with the launch of the Soil Health Dashboard on the EU Soil Observatory. This initiative aims to make valuable information accessible to policymakers, researchers, and citizens alike.
At the heart of this mission is the iCOSHELLs project, a promising endeavour that connects scientific research with on-the-ground action. Six 'Living Labs' across Europe, including the Basque Country, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Southeast Spain, and Sweden, are the project's hubs for this interconnected approach.
The iCOSHELLs project designs soil solutions in real conditions, tailored to specific regions and their unique soil degradation issues. Professor Birte Vestergaard leads the project, while Erik Sindhoj, a researcher at Sweden's RISE and Scientific Lead of the iCOSHELLs project, emphasises the importance of indicators to track improvements in soil health as they test solutions in different places.
The upcoming Soil Monitoring Law will require Member States to adopt standardised soil descriptors and methodologies, ensuring consistency in monitoring soil attributes from pH to biodiversity. The law will also establish inventories of contaminated sites and harmonised protocols for farmers to follow.
The Soil Health Dashboard, the Soil Health Benchmarks, and the Soil Health Data Cube are all part of a larger infrastructure for grounded environmental solutions. The Soil Health Benchmarks and the Soil Health Data Cube have harmonised sampling protocols and an open-access system, creating a shared evidence base for soil action.
CETENMA, an iCOSHELLs partner in Spain, is developing a catalogue of soil health indicators, co-created with all Living Labs. This catalogue covers 12 core indicators, including physical, chemical, and biological aspects of soil health.
The EU's Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe' aims to restore 75% of soils to healthy status by 2030. The restoration of soil health delivers tangible outcomes, such as higher crop yields, enhanced biodiversity, and resilience to drought and floods.
The EU Soil Observatory is being developed as a single platform to provide high-resolution, harmonised, and quality-assured soil data across the EU. Scaling such benefits requires airtight monitoring, clear protocols, and shared frameworks, making the EU Soil Observatory a crucial component of the unified effort to monitor soil attributes.
In summary, the iCOSHELLs project and the EU Soil Observatory are leading the charge in restoring Europe's soil health, providing a foundation for grounded environmental solutions that scale from local action to European policy.
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