Experts from our Engineering and Philosophy departments have contributed to a new report highlighting the importance of soil in building the UK’s national resilience.
Their report urges government, policy makers and experts to take a soil-centric approach to planning, policy and development.
The new report ‘Climate and Nature – Living Soils Deliver for Both’, brings together the discussions and recommendations of a UK Parliamentary Roundtable event which included MPs, scientists, farmers, engineers and industry leaders.
Professor Karen Johnson, from our Engineering department, and Dr Simona Capisani, from our Philosophy department, have both contributed.
They, and other expert contributors, emphasise that soil is a living system. It underpins vital parts of national resilience including public health, climate resilience, biodiversity, water regulation, food security and economic stability.
However, according to the UN, current global patterns risk up to 90% of the planet’s soils being degraded by 2050.
The authors argue healthy soils urgently need to be prioritised across planning and policy development, which in turn has the potential to unlock a wide range of co-benefits.
These range from improved immune and mental health, better water quality, reduced flooding, reduced landfill and increased climate change adaptation.
The report also identifies a critical and urgent skills gap in soil literacy, both in the UK and globally.
Despite its fundamental role, public and professional understanding of soil remains very limited.
Few people recognise soil is alive, and that healthy soil can benefit human health, climate change resilience and biodiversity.
The report urges policymakers to recognise this as an opportunity for the UK be a global leader in embedding soil literacy across sectors from early education to professional practice.
This would ensure that the knowledge and skills needed to support a soil-centric future are embedded at all levels.
The report argues that soil should be seen as a national strategic asset that requires coordinated stewardship.
To achieve this, they call for a national, coordinated approach including an integrated policy and planning framework that considers climate, nature, farming and health. They also advocate for long-term investment in soil restoration and support for innovation in farming and land use.
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