"Let us promote sustainable soil management rooted in proper soil governance and sound investments. Together, we can promote the cause of soils, a truly solid ground for life." — UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon
2015 Theme: “Soils: a solid ground for life”.
Soils have been neglected for too long. We fail to connect soil with our food, water, climate, biodiversity and life. We must invert this tendency and take up some preserving and restoring actions. The World Soil Day campaign aims to connect people with soils and raise awareness on their critical importance in our lives. World Soil Day 2015 will be celebrated on the 4th of December at the UN Food and Agriculture (FAO) headquarters in Rome and FAO regional offices. National events will also be organized, so make sure to regularly check the map of events and/or register your event. The theme for this year will be “Soils: a solid ground for life”.
Soil is the basis for food, feed, fuel and fibre production and for services to ecosystems and human well-being. It is the reservoir for at least a quarter of global biodiversity, and therefore requires the same attention as above-ground biodiversity. Soils play a key role in the supply of clean water and resilience to floods and droughts. The largest store of terrestrial carbon is in the soil, so its preservation may contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation. The maintenance or enhancement of global soil resources is essential if humanity’s need for food, water, and energy security is to be met.
Video: Soil