AS THE WORLD FACES THE GROWING threat of 1.5ºC global warming, EXPERTS CALL FOR “HEALTHY SOIL” AS A SOLUTION AND NOT A “VICTIM“. HEALTHY SOIL COULD, in fact, be the key to tackling the problem of the climate crisis, acting as a vital carbon sink to protect our planet from a 2°C temperature rise
Healthy soil for a healthy environment
Recent service results Copernicus about climate change‘The EU has presented us with a shocking reality.
We are already violating the 1.5°C warming limit. The world is in crisis and current food systems are complicit in this climate crisis: they contribute to 1/3 of global emissions serra gas.
In this context, the soil is often defined as “victim”. Faced with this challenge, experts are calling for a paradigm shift‘global attitude towards one’s health.
According to a recent analysis, a farmland if properly cared for, it could actually trap up to 27% of the emissions needed to keep global warming below that critical threshold. To confirm it Praveena SridharChief Technology Officer del Movimento “Save the soil”, supported by UNEP, UNCCD and WFP, according to which «Healthy soils will give us the opportunity to fight to prevent global warming from reaching 2°C and reverse the effects of the warming we are witnessing».
Change is needed
Sridhar also underlined the urgency of change. «In light of this new data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, we find ourselves at the intersection of several environmental challenges. These results demonstrate exactly this and reinforce the crucial role of living soil as a solution to climate change mitigation».
«The time has come for a paradigm shift in the way we perceive and treat our soil, not only as a resource, but also as powerful allies in our fight against global warming. By highlighting the global soil crisis and their potential to be a substantial part of the solution to the climate crisis, we give ourselves a chance to prevent warming from reaching 2°C.».
That’s why it’s time to‘idea of “amendment” and to embrace the soil as an instrument “softeningof climate change, causing the‘access to significantly more substantial financing.
«Earth and soil are an important solution to climate change, especially for carbon storage, along with reducing pollution and restoring biodiversity. You have to concentrate on it a lot more. As we can see from this analysis, there is enormous potential to prevent an increase in global temperatures of up to 2 degrees».
This is the comment of Dr. Muralee ThumarukuddyDirector of the Coordination Office of the G20 Global Earth Initiative of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
How can soil become a precious resource?
Regenerative agriculture as a solution to environmental problems
Experts agree that a transition to aregenerative agriculture would not only weaken the consequences‘environmental impacts of our food systems, but can also play a key role in storing carbon in the atmosphere.
According to analyses, it could capture up to 27% of the emissions needed to keep global warming below 2°C.
It is useful to point out that this holistic practice, which emerged in the early 1980s, consists of land management that exploits the power of photosynthesis in plants to close the carbon cycle and build healthier soil., crop resilience and nutrient density.
By applying this technique, carbon-emitting agricultural land could be turned into real carbon sponges, making the land not only neutral, but even negative from a carbon emissions perspective.
It is clear that this transformation is not just about changing our attitudes towards soil, but also requires political support and investments that facilitate the transition to healthy food systems for people and the planet.
And here the donkey falls…
An inequality in funds
The shift to regenerative agricultural practices, such as cover crops, crop rotations and no-till practices (avoid tillage that destroys soil structure), requires financial support for farmers.
However, the coverage ratio has not changed dramatically over time and is still far from the parity we wantParis Agreement.
The international agreement between the Member States of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and their financing, reached on 12 December 2015 and covering the period from 2020 onwards, is slow to have concrete effects.
In particular, the ratio between the resources allocated for the‘adjustment and that intended for mitigation is approximately 1:10. This significant gap, which translated into $46 billion per liter in 2019-20‘adaptation and $571 billion for mitigation underlines the need for a paradigm shift.
To address the financing problem, Hunter Lovins, president and founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions. «The problem isn’t that “there is not enough money“– the trick is to get the money out of the financial system and to the farmers – if you do this among other things‘In other cases, political capacity is also being builtA”.
COP28 does not mention soil as one of its priorities
It is surprising to note that neither the “soil” neither “Agriculture” are mentioned as mitigation strategies nel Global Stocktake Report of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28), which took place in Dubai from November 30 to December 13, 2023.
Some to speak on the matter “voices from the chorus” like the famous Indian yogi Sadghuru, founder of “Save the soil”, spoke on December 4, 2023.
«The source of all life and food is the rich soil. Without the adoption and implementation of soil conservation measures, there will be unprecedented devastating impacts on farmers’ livelihoods, climate change and unplanned migration. Now is the time».
The importance of the soil
In a world where the environment is increasingly threatened, the Save the Soil movement presents itself as a beacon of hope. With the support of international organizations such as UNCCD, UNEP, UNFAO, IUCN and the World Food Program, the movement works to raise awareness and mobilize governments and individuals to adopt policies and practices that protect and regenerate soil.
We therefore cannot agree with the comment of Dr. Rosa Maria Poch, Chair of the Intergovernmental Technical Group on Soils, who underlined the importance of caring for soil as a precious resource. «It’s time to recognize that by caring for soil, the world’s largest living ecosystem, we can find the answers we’ve always sought.».
For more information and to join the movement, visit Savesoil.org/COP28.