World’s soils deteriorating while solutions go unused – UN

More than half of the world’s soils are in poor condition, threatening global food supplies and biodiversity, while proven measures to improve soil health are not being implemented, according to a UN report. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned that globally, we must shift from a mindset of soil exploitation to one of stewardship. Soils support 95 percent of our food production, host 59 percent of global biodiversity, and serve as the planet’s second-largest carbon sink after the oceans. The report found that in 52.5 percent of regions and subregions, soil management was poor or very poor, while in a third it was fair, and only 14 percent had good or very good management. Since the 2015 pioneering FAO study, soil degradation has accelerated alarmingly. The greatest threat is erosion from unsustainable practices, including loss of organic matter, nutrient mismanagement, depleted biodiversity, salt build-up, pollution, and urban expansion. Climate change exacerbates these issues, but improving soil health could also enhance resilience and help combat global warming. The FAO notes that while techniques like reduced tillage, cover crops, agroforestry, and better fertilizer use are known, limited access to resources and high costs prevent widespread adoption. The report was published during COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, where global efforts to combat desertification were discussed, following the failure of COP16 in Riyadh.