‘A Soil Strategy for 2030: reaping the benefits of healthy soils, for food, people, nature and the climate’. The title of the Communication adopted on Wednesday 17 November by the European Commission gives an idea of the importance of protecting and restoring a multifunctional resource that is subject to multiple pressures.
70% of EU soil is degraded, costing the EU €50 billion a year. “Getting soils healthy is simply a matter of our own survival. The goal is to ensure good soil health by 2050”, stressed the Commission’s Executive Vice-President responsible for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans.
The proposal for a soil protection strategy offers a vision anchored in the Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change, with a legally binding legislative proposal at its core (see EUROPE 12832/12). This would be implemented in 2023.
“Healthy soils are essential for biodiversity, the fight against climate change and the zero environmental pollution agenda, but also for human health, which so far has not received the attention it deserves”, stressed European Commissioner for Environment Virginijus Sinkevičius.
He stressed the importance of providing this life-sustaining resource with the missing legal framework that water and air already have in the EU. And according to him, 2023 is a “realistic” date.
In addition to the expected benefits for biodiversity and climate, halting and reversing current trends in soil degradation could generate up to €1,200 billion in economic benefits per year worldwide, according to the Commission.
“We really need a robust legislative proposal so that we don’t risk it being blocked again”, said the Commissioner.
Asked about the chances that Member States will support this future legislation and that it will not face a blocking minority, as was the case in 2014 with a proposed Directive from 2006 (see EUROPE 11031/15) , Mr Sinkevičius said he was confident.
“We have talked a lot with the Member States and the European Parliament. Countries that were reluctant last time seem to be open. The law will be preceded by a thorough impact assessment, in line with the ‘Better Regulation’ rules, and will be presented to all stakeholders”, he explained.
This is what has been missing from the EU’s forestry strategy for 2030 and it is also what makes Member States nervous, the Commissioner conceded. He added, “we will show that we will work hand in hand with them”.
The proposed EU soil strategy combines binding and non-binding measures (see EUROPE 12832/12).
The Commission intends to establish legally binding targets to curb further drainage of wetlands and organic soils and restore peatlands. The opportunity to do so will be provided by setting nature restoration targets, to be presented by the Commission on 14 December.
To promote the circular economy, the Commission also plans to create a soil passport for excavated soil, which is currently landfilled as waste. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)