Brussels, 29/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - Soil performs a multitude of environmental, economic, social and cultural functions and thus plays a vital role in conserving biodiversity and supporting global environmental systems. It is a living system and, once it is destroyed, it is lost for ever. Erosion, contamination, decline of organic matter content, sealing due to factors such as housing and infrastructure, landslides and flooding all contribute to the degradation of a resource that is fundamental to our survival. The European Commission has therefore created the first Soil Atlas of Europe, designed to describe and explain the threats to our soil, and raise awareness of its diversity and its importance to our lives. The Atlas will contribute to future actions to protect Europe's soil, such as a proposal for a Thematic Strategy on soil protection, scheduled to be put forward by the Commission before the end of 2005. The result of work by the Joint Research Centre, the Atlas is available on the Internet at the following address: http: //http://www.jrc.cec.eu.int/soil-atlas .