soil protection

Uncovered soils are exposed unprotected to the energy of water during heavy and prolonged rainfall. The water transports the soil irretrievably downhill. As a result, fertile soil is lost, and therefore the yielding capacity on arable land. In addition, the eroded material and the absorbed nutrients and pollutants can pollute neighboring water bodies.

When strong winds hit bare or only poorly covered soil, soil material is stirred up and transported, sometimes over long distances, through the open landscape. The result is the stealthy loss of fertile soil. Neighboring sites and ecosystems can be affected. Also, for people dangerous situations are possible, for example due to impaired visibility.

The webinar has been prepared and conducted by the Asian Research Institute for Environmental Law in cooperation with the German Environment Agency (UBA) and IUCN. 100 persons attended the webinar. It was intended to raise awareness on the importance of sustainable soil management and its governance in the region.

Many projects that make use of land can have negative environmental impacts. This includes soil sealing or even degradation of natural soils, for example as a result of the construction of buildings or industrial facilities. Landscape fragmentation by streets and railway tracks is also a problem.

Whilst global demand for food and renewable raw materials is rising, the very basis for producing these – healthy, fertile soil – is under threat. It is estimated that 1.5 billion people are already affected by the consequences of this development. A coordinated global approach to protecting the vital resource ‘soil’ is therefore urgently necessary.

Fertile soils are essential for life. Their preservation is set to become one of the United Nations’ global sustainability goals, under the heading “land degradation neutral world”. A legal study commissioned by UBA looked into how this goal could be implemented at international level.