Sustainability is rooted in the soil
Why are healthy soils important?
“Soil health” can be defined as the long-term ability of soil to function as a vital, living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans, and connects agricultural and soil science with policy, stakeholder needs, and sustainable supply chain management. Healthy soils are essential for life on Earth. They form the basis for food production, store and filter water, and provide habitats for biodiversity. By binding carbon, soil also contributes to climate protection. However, soil sealing, erosion, and climate change threaten this valuable resource.
National implementation of Mission SOIL
Austria's Action Plan for Mission SOIL
The EU mission “A Soil Deal for Europe” aims to establish 100 living labs and lighthouses in the EU by 2030 to improve soil health. Living Labs are places for collaboration, learning, and the joint development of solutions to complex problems. Lighthouses are pioneering research institutions and projects that offer guidance, insight, and inspiration, often through excellence, interdisciplinarity, and societal impact.
In addition to this overarching goal, more specific targets have also been set with regard to soil sealing, organic carbon, soil pollution, and other aspects.
For the national implementation of the EU-Mission, the Austrian Mission Action Group has drawn up an action plan that outlines the following impact pathways for achieving this mission:
- Impact pathway – Soil literacy and education
- Impact pathway – Soil research and networking
- Impact pathway – Soil protection
Austria's objectives for the SOIL mission
Within the framework of the three impact pathways, the Austrian Mission Action Group has defined the following objectives/priorities for Austria:
- Continue proven soil protection activities: Support for ÖPUL (Austrian Program for Environmentally Friendly Agriculture).
- Reduce land consumption and soil sealing: Additional measures for the “Soil Strategy for Austria” of the ÖROK (Austrian Conference on Spatial Planning).
- Make information on soil protection accessible to all interested parties: Expansion and networking of existing offerings to create a joint information platform
- Emphasize the importance of soil monitoring: Commitment to monitoring depending on decisions at the EU level.
- Raise awareness and deepen knowledge: Expansion of educational projects and continuation of proven formats in schools and extracurricular settings.
- Recommendation for a national research initiative on soil: supporting the implementation of the mission through funding priorities to advance research, technology, and innovation.
- Supporting stakeholders in submitting projects: the FFG supports stakeholders in submitting projects to the European “Mission Soil” call.
- Showcasing examples of good practice: Highlighting experts and practitioners as active soil ambassadors.
More information about Mission SOIL can be found on the FFG website: https://www.ffg.at/europa/heu/missions/nationale-umsetzung/boden
How can citizen science contribute to Mission SOIL?
By sharing local observations on decomposition processes, plastic pollution, heavy metal contamination, or biodiversity, and/or collecting soil samples for the analysis of health indicators or environmental pollution, citizen scientists expand the scope of research and create a valuable database. This information helps to better understand soil health and develop targeted measures. At the same time, citizen science raises awareness of the importance of healthy soils and promotes the connection between science and society.
How can You be part of this Mission?
The following projects contribute to the goals of Mission SOIL:
Did You know?
- Humus improves the organic carbon content in the soil. (More information here)
- Earthworms eat contaminated soil and can break down widely used antibiotics in the process. (More information here)
- To date, there is no universally accepted definition of “healthy soil.” (More information here)
- Earthworms release molecules that have a similar effect to substances that promote plant growth. (More information here)
- Healthy soils store a great deal of CO2 – more than all plants combined and more than the air. (More information here)