20 November 2024

Restoring soil health: the key to a more sustainable Italy and climate

Experts at COP29 highlight the urgency of regenerating soils to combat climate change and ensure environmental and food security

During COP29, experts, activists and youth representatives stressed the importance of restoring the health of Italian soils as a key strategy to combat climate change.

Soil is the largest terrestrial carbon sink. According to an analysis by Salva il Suolo, restoring the health of agricultural soils globally could contribute to the sequestration of 27% of the emissions needed to limit global warming to less than 2°C. Healthy soil is also crucial for food security and to prevent floods, droughts and fires.

Despite the fact that the topic of "healthy soil as a climate solution" is not very present in the negotiations, experts warn that the tagline of COP29, "In solidarity for a green world", will not be achievable without soil restoration.

The soil situation is deteriorating rapidly: 40% of global land is degraded and it is estimated that 90% of the topsoil could disappear by 2050. In Italy, more than a fifth of the territory is at risk of desertification.

Praveena Sridhar, Technical Director of the Save Soil movement, said: "The COP29 theme, 'In Solidarity for a Green World', reflects the urgency and unity needed to tackle the climate crisis. The global transition away from fossil fuels will take time, but we need to act now with nature-based solutions. Every green leaf planted captures carbon, and there will be no green leaves without healthy soils."

He added: "Financially supporting Italian farmers in the transition to regenerative agriculture offers huge opportunities for carbon sequestration and economic growth. For a healthier climate, with more nutritious products and cooler temperatures, it is urgent to improve soil health."

At COP29, a coalition of 78 global NGOs, including Save Soil, 4per1000 and SEKEM, presented policy recommendations to promote policies to support the restoration of soil health.

Key recommendations include:

Facilitating access to climate finance to enable sustainable agricultural practices.
Transforming agricultural land into carbon sinks through targeted funds.
Incentivize private investment in nature-friendly agricultural practices.
Support farmers with technical training and market access.
Include soil restoration in climate finance strategies as a key solution.

For more information on the Save the Soil movement, visit the savesoil.org website and follow @ConsciousPlanetMovement and @CPSaveSoil on social media or write to contact.it@consciousplanet.org

By the Editorial staff of Avion Tourism Magazine

Conscious Planet Save the Soil is everyone's movement and each of us can become an active part by getting informed, disseminating the movement, participating in events and raising awareness among politicians. Find out more about the movement and how to become a Friend of the Earth.