Soil is the depository of biodiversity and of natural components necessary for agricultural production. Furthermore, it serves as carbon sink, in the sense that soil stores carbon dioxide and prevents its release in the air (carbon emissions).

A study published by the EU’s Joint Research Centre in late August 2020 predicts that global soil erosion could rise by 66% between 2020 and 2070 if agricultural practices remain the same and no additional policies are implemented to limit global warming.

The less soil is manipulated, the better it can behave as carbon sink and maximise the biodiversity protected habitat. Farming practices such as conservation agriculture and no tillage that minimize soil disturbance and prevent its erosion should be adopted more widely.

(last update: September 2020)