FAO_20mm_Pant279

European Soils Partnership, Ispra, 21European Soils Partnership, Ispra, 21--22 May 201422 May 2014

Soil Management in Europe:Challenges & Opportunities

Jaroslava SobockJaroslava SobockááNational Agricultural and Food CentreNational Agricultural and Food Centre

Soil Science and Conservation Research Institute Bratislava SlovSoil Science and Conservation Research Institute Bratislava SlovakiaakiaITPSITPS--GSP memberGSP member

j.sobocka@vupop.skj.sobocka@vupop.sk

Threats endagering soil resources in Europe Threats endagering soil resources in Europe

1. Soil/land degradation (term degradation is understood different from land take)

2. Land take/consumption (land take vs soil sealing)

3. Global threats (impacts of climate change, loss of biodiversity, food security, droughts and desertification, etc.)

1. Soil/land degradationSoil/land degradation

Soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastural, industrial or urban purposes. For the European region these degradations were defined:•Soil erosion by water and wind•Decline of soil organic matter•Soil contamination (local and diffuse)•Soil compaction•Salinization•Soil sealing by infrastructure and housing•Landslides and floods

2. Land take/soil sealing2. Land take/soil sealing

Land take/consumption is increasing of settlement areas – like urban sprawl.Soil sealing is permanent covering of areas of land and on its soil surface is impermeable artificial material (asphalt, concrete, etc). It differs from land take.

•Europe is one of the most urbanized continent in the world app. 75 % European population live in urban areas. •Between 1990-2000 detected land take was around 1 000km sq. per year and settlement areas increased by app. 6 %.

3. Global threats

Soil is the global issue of concerns about:•food security, •climate change, •biodiversity, •land degradation, •desertification, •provision of ecosystem services•foundation of agricultural development and ecological sustainability. The area of fertile soil is limited and increasingly under pressure by competing land uses for cropping, forestry, pasture/rangelandand urban sprawl.

Why we should protect soil resources?Why we should protect soil resources?

• Soil is considered as a finite, non-renewable natural resource with a great variability in space and time

• It serves as the basis for food, feed, fuel and fiber production, provision of clean water, nutrient cycling, serve as a sink for organic carbon, medium of global biodiversity, for raw material and as a platform for construction

Therefore, maintaining and improving the condition of the land and soil resources by avoiding soil degradation, soils sealing/land take and global impacts is crucial task for our well-being.

Soil functions protectionsSoil functions protections

Soil has various key functions that are important for agricultural, environmental, nature protection, landscape architecture and urban applications :1.Biomass production, including in agriculture and forestry2.Storing, filtering and transforming nutrients, substances and water3.Biodiversity pool, such as habitats species and genes4.Physical and cultural environment for humans and humans activities5.Source of raw materials6.Acting as carbon pool7.Archive of geological and archaeological heritage

European soil strategy on soilEuropean soil strategy on soil

EU laws do not address all the threats in a comprehensive way and not all Member States have specific legislation on soil protection.The European Commission has launched a global cross-EU strategy to deal with all aspects of soil protection, while taking into account the variety of situations in each country.

Adopting the soil strategy is the first stage in the development of a proper soil policy in the Europe

The EU Thematic Strategy for Soil ProtectionThe EU Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection

The European Commission presented the communication “Soil Thematic Strategy” in 2006 (COM(2006)231)EC and proposal for a Soil Framework Directive (COM(2006) 232)The purpose of that Communication was to build on political commitment in order that soil protection be achieved more fully and systematically and be new baseline for the soil management measures.

In the past the soil was not placed on the political agenda of member state of the EU, now the status was rapidly changedalthough not issued in the final stage.

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

• Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the single most important and efficient policy instrument which can force farmers to manage their soils by sustainable ways.

• It accounts for nearly half of the total EU budget and can provide the necessary incentives for promoting actions towards sustainable soil/land management.

• The recent 10-years review of the CAP has related to sustainable agriculture and good farming practices specifically mentioning soil erosion, decline of soil organic matter as criteria to be taken into account when defining GAEC practices = inevitable condition for the payment and other conditions like greening, EFA, LFA etc.

SAPS and Programme of the Rural Development SAPS and Programme of the Rural Development

Implementation of CAP has proved that such measures effectively contribute to the reduction of soil degradation within the EU (payment by European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EFRD)4 pillars of CAP:I.Direct payment on SAPS Single area payment schemeII.Implementation of the agro-environmental measures as prerequisite for direct paymentsIII.Technical assistanceIV.LEADER programme

Not implementing agro-environmental measures -not paying!

SSCRI in the CAPSSCRI in the CAP

Soil Science and Conservation Research Institute in Bratislava is directly involved in the (in the I and II pillars) (very briefly)•Provide the basis for the farmer payment = Land Parcel Identification System, i.e. vector layer of physical blocks displayed on orthophotomaps in the scale 1:5,000 for all agricultural land of Slovakia (Pillar I)•Control and correct physical blocks for the Agricultural PaymentAgency (16 500 farms in Slovakia) (Pillar I)•Provide assessment of applied agro-environmental measures implementation (Pillar II)•Provide other compiled databases to be use for many purposes: EFA, GAEC, nitrate vulnerable zones, greening, grassland, etc.

SSCRI in the CAPSSCRI in the CAP

Waste management EU policyWaste management EU policy

Waste management is a key element in preventing soil contamination. In more general terms the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC requires that waste be disposed of without endangering the soil. Sewage Sludge Directive (86/278/EEC) regulates the use of sewage sludge in agriculture in such a way as to prevent harmfuleffects on soil. Further specific waste legislation such as the Landfill Directive, the Incineration Directive and the Urban Wastewater Directive may contribute to the prevention of soil contamination.

Nitrates Directive and Water Framework DirectiveNitrates Directive and Water Framework Directive

• Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) sets standards for preventing the contamination of surface and groundwater by the leakage of hazardous substances or excessive nutrients from soils.

• Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) needs to apply good farming practices in all areas and on action programmes in nitrate-vulnerable zones. It includes provisions to improve soil conditions, such as winter cover crops and adjusted soil management in areas with steep slopes.

• Wherever contaminated soils, erosion or excessively fertilized soil, erosion or excessively fertilized soil contribute to surface or groundwater contamination, the necessary remedial action will in many cases lead to improved soil protection.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA/SEA) directiveEnvironmental Impact Assessment (EIA/SEA) directive

EIA/SEA Directive (85/337/EEC) requires assessment of environmental impacts of projects or strategies and plans with view to identifying measures to avoid,mitigate or offset negative impacts on environment.

Their implementation contributes to more systematic and transparent planning and improve participation and consultation of all stakeholders.

What can soil science offer to users?What can soil science offer to users?

• What are users of our results?They are governmental officers, farmers, foresters, urban

planners and other stakeholders at various levels that are involved in soil issues. These people are very important in view of decision making responsible for soil management.

• How intensive contact is among soil scientists and users?I think in most cases users do not need soil science not any

science at all – it is for them incomprehensible, they rely on their own abilities, they do not like news. They do not understand e.g. soil functions, ecosystem services etc.

What can soil science offer to users?What can soil science offer to users?

• What is a reason of this state?I guess there is a big gap in providing of soil issues and

promoting of new information. E.g. information on soil type name (Cambisol or Luvisol) is not adequate info for them, they need to know what is capacity or quality of soil, what is resistance or vulnerability of soils.

• What is a result of this state?In fact there are many examples of mismanagement - not

applying agro- or forest-environmental measures, simplification of crop systems, orientation on benefit, intensification without protection segments and GENERALY VERY LOW OF AWARENESS ABOUT SOIL AT EACH LEVELOF STAKEHOLDERS

Conditions for soil management strategyConditions for soil management strategy

• Soil need to be protected to preserve in their multi-functionality, i.e. the traditional production role was integrated intomultiple functions soils (filtering and buffering of contaminants, source of biodiversity, source of raw materials, repository of cultural heritage, fresh water supply, etc. = ecosystem services).

• Therefore soil protection needs to be addressed as a CROSS-CUTTING ISSUE A NUMBER OF POLICY AREAS: ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, AGRICULTURAL POLICY, SPATIAL PLANNING, ETC.

Protection of soil function by SSM toolsProtection of soil function by SSM tools

The identification of most appropriate practices should consider their ability to improve soil functions :•Maintaining and restoring the multiple soil functions •Improving and retaining soil organic matter content for soil carbon sequestration and soil structure improvement•Improving soil water storage•Maintaining buffering capacity of soils •Controlling soil erosion•Retaining and protecting the most productive soils •Maintain soil biodiversity•Restoring degraded soils

Needed actionsNeeded actions

Action needs to be taken in order to reverse the trend towards widespread soil degradation in Europe.•High soil diversity implies to implement protection and management strategies as local elements •Local communities need to be placed in the appropriate enabling environment, creating the conditions for effective soilprotection and management. i.e. soils are managed at a local level.•EU Soil Directive as implementation tool for soil protection for common approach of the member states was not yet entered into force.

What to do next in relation to SSM?What to do next in relation to SSM?

Defining Sustainable soil management (SSM) Promote SSM Maintaining soil functions and ecosystem services Sustaining long-term security Climate-change mitigation and adaptation Maintaining of soil biodiversity Implementing SSM to address soil degradation and improve soil

protection and conservation Costs and benefits from SSM practices SSM coordination and monitoring SSM education, awareness and extension Regional policies and actions

Challenges for implement ation of soil management Challenges for implement ation of soil management strategystrategy

• Appropriate policy framework and following legislation (soil resources respecting)

• Set of conservation agro-technical and forestry measures (low capital and low carbon soil management, best practices)

• Technology investment supporting• Knowledge transfer and science-policy/farmer/user gaps

overcome• Set of available and harmonized data to be used for sustainable

management • Ecological awareness on natural resources • Urban areas awareness facing healthy living conditions of urban

population• Integrating approach of stakeholders

New law on soil protection in SlovakiaNew law on soil protection in Slovakia

Former concept (2008) protecting soil of the first 4 soil quality group -

21 % protected agricultural land

Current concept (2013) protecting soil of the first soil quality groups in

each cadastre - 37 % protected agricultural land

The payment for take of protected agricultural land is ranked 0.50 to

20 EUR per 1 m sq.

Thank for your attention!Take better care of the land!