Life beneath our feet: the importance of soil health 

Beneath our very feet lies a world teeming with life, vital to our existence, yet often overlooked: soil. Healthy soils form the cornerstone of thriving ecosystems. Yet, it is estimated that up to 70% of European soils are in a degraded state. In this article, we will delve into the significance of soil health, look at what the European Union is doing to tackle the issue of soil degradation, and discuss what should be done for soil health preservation and enhancement. 

Understanding soil health 

Soil health, as defined by the FAO’s Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, is “the ability of the soil to sustain the productivity, diversity, and environmental services of terrestrial ecosystems”. Healthy soils provide a habitat for a myriad of organisms, from earthworms and nematodes to fungi and bacteria. In fact, a recent study indicated that soil is likely home to 59% of species, making it the most biodiverse habitat on Earth.

This biodiversity is integral to overall ecosystem health and resilience and transforms soils into vibrant living systems that provide a multitude of services. Without these organisms, our soils would be biologically dead, nothing more than a layer of rock dust and water in which plants, animals and fungi cannot thrive.  

Why Soil Health Matters 

Healthy soils are the foundation of food production and sustainable agriculture. As Frans Timmermans, the former European Commission Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, rightly stated: “Every farmer can tell you: you cannot grow food on dead land”. They are an important ally in climate adaptation and mitigation, as crucial carbon sinks, and they play a vital role in the planet’s water cycle.  

Soil life performs a vast spectrum of functions (many of which remain largely unknown) which contribute to a multitude of ecosystem services. It supports nutrient cycling, pest control, soil structure, carbon sequestration, water purification and resilience to environmental stress. Any changes made to the soil communities affect its capacity to grow food, help regulate climate, filter and absorb water and provide habitat. 

To safeguard soil biodiversity, both in terms of species and functions, soil must be managed sustainably through a range of practices, including minimising soil disturbance, reducing the use of synthetic inputs, diversifying crop patterns, and enriching the on-farm agricultural landscape with field margins and hedgerows. Agroecology incorporates such practices and has a strong focus on soil biological activity and an understanding of soil as part of a complex ecosystem with ecological interactions, synergies, diversity and complementarities. 

Threats to Soil Health 

Despite its crucial functions, soil health is threatened by various human activities, including intensive agriculture which relies heavily on tillage and synthetic inputs. Such intensive practices harm soil microorganisms, disrupt the balance of nutrients and degrade overall soil health. Other processes such as urbanisation and the artificialisation of soils also play a part in the degradation of EU soils. 

However, a major cause of soil degradation lies in a lack of dedicated EU legislation. The European Commission proposal for a Soil Framework Directive in 2006 faced strong opposition from EU nations and was ultimately withdrawn in 2014. Subsequently, this legal vacuum has led to patchy and incomplete soil policy and highly fragmented governance, with soil protection merely a by-product of legislation that protect other environmental resources. 

Why a European Soil Law is necessary 

Given the current state of European soils, it is safe to say that past and present actions at national level are not bringing the necessary changes. But the challenges linked to soil degradation go beyond the EU’s boards, as soils’ functions are deeply interconnected with the global carbon, water and nutrient cycles, influencing climate change, food security and the preservation of ecosystems. EU level action on soils not only brings added value but is also key to a harmonised and coherent European approach to tackle these global challenges. 

As soil health determines the health of all terrestrial ecosystems, a strong Soil Law is a vital piece of the European Green Deal. Neglecting soil health could hamper the EU’s efforts to achieve other policy goals, such as climate neutrality by 2050, sustainable and resilient food systems, and biodiversity protection and restoration. 

Potential impacts of the EU Soil Monitoring Law 

On 5 July 2023, the European Commission published a legislative proposal for a Soil Monitoring Law which was originally intended to be named “Soil Health Law”. Unfortunately, this name change reflects the proposal’s lack of ambition, illustrating a shift from soil health to soil monitoring.  

As the European Parliament and the Council begin negotiations, it is crucial to highlight the key aspects of the legislation which must be improved if the EU intends to reach its goal of achieving healthy soils by the middle of the century. As outlined in our assessment of the proposal, the Soil Law must include a robust governance framework which would ensure consistent progress towards the main goals. This can be achieved by introducing legally binding targets and by requiring nations to draw up soil district management plans (see our technical briefing on governance). Such governance structures are also essential if the EU wishes to ensure that the proposal’s access to justice provision is operational (see our technical briefing on access to justice). In addition, the proposal must recognise the important role of soil biodiversity and should include scientifically relevant soil biodiversity descriptors and establish a legal mechanism for defining thresholds following an initial monitoring phase (see our technical briefing on monitoring soil biodiversity). 

Conclusion 

For most people, the world beneath our feet remains hidden from view and therefore the emotional connection that forests or oceans naturally evoke is often missing. Whilst soil life remains invisible or unfamiliar, so does its deteriorating condition. We cover it with layers of concrete, reducing life to a minimum, or view freshly tilled fields, as places of fertility and tidiness instead of the disrupted and damaged ecosystems they truly are. Yet, awareness is slowly growing, and the Soil Law can play a pivotal role in shaping our treatment of soils, if designed correctly and implemented effectively. Healthy soils are a precious resource that underpins life on Earth. By recognising its importance and taking proactive steps to improve and protect it, we can contribute to healthier ecosystems, climate change mitigation, resilient and sustainable agricultural systems, and a more sustainable planet.