Strasbourg, 11 March 2024
-
60-70 % of European soils are estimated to be in an unhealthy state
-
MEPs want three different tiers for soil monitoring design
-
Public list of all contaminated and potentially contaminated soils in all EU countries
To improve the health of soils in line with the EU Zero Pollution ambition, MEPs want concrete targets to improve soil ecological status in member states.
The Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety on Monday adopted its report on the Commission proposal for a Soil Monitoring Law, the first-ever dedicated EU legislation on soils, with 42 votes to 26 and 14 abstentions.
MEPs support the overall aim to achieve healthy EU soils by 2050, in line with the EU Zero Pollution ambition and the need to put in place a harmonised definition of soil health as well as a comprehensive and coherent monitoring framework to foster sustainable soil management and remediate contaminated sites.
The new law will oblige EU countries to first monitor and then assess the health of all soils in their territory. To enable those willing to implement more comprehensive monitoring systems, MEPs want EU countries to be able to choose among three different tiers for soil monitoring design with different soil descriptors and soil health criteria, with “tier 1” providing a minimum set of soil descriptors.
MEPs want EU countries to improve the soil ecological status as follows: Within ten years, EU countries must improve critically degraded soils to degraded soils and within six years, degraded soils must be improved to moderate ecological status and those with moderate ecological status must be improved to good ecological status.
Contaminated soils
According to the Commission, there are an estimated 2.8 million potentially contaminated sites in the EU. To ensure that the public is informed of contaminated and potentially contaminated sites, MEPs support the requirement to draw up a public list of such sites in all EU countries at the latest four years after entry into force of this Directive.
EU countries will also have investigate, assess and clean up contaminated sites to address unacceptable risks for human health and the environment due to soil contamination. Costs must be borne by the ones responsible for the contamination in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle.
Sustainable Soil Management Toolbox
To support the implementation, the Commission shall make available a public sustainable soil management toolbox that provides soil managers with practical information on the use of sustainable soil management practices, including best practices and latest soil research results.
Quote
After the vote, rapporteur Martin HOJSÍK (Renew, Slovakia) said:
“We are finally close to achieving a common European framework to protect our soils from degradation. Without healthy soils, there will be no life on this planet. Farmers’ livelihoods and food on our table depend on this non-renewable resource. That is why it is our responsibility to adopt the first EU-wide legislation for its monitoring and health.”
Next steps
The text will now be put to a vote at an upcoming plenary session (scheduled for 11 April) and constitute Parliament’s position at first reading. The file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the European elections on 6-9 June.
Background
Around 60-70 % of European soils are estimated to be in an unhealthy state due to issues such as urban expansion, low land recycling rates, intensification of agriculture, and climate change. Degraded soils are major drivers of the climate and biodiversity crises and reduce the provision of key ecosystem services such as food and feed, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, pest control as well as water regulation. According to the Commission, the loss of such essential soil ecosystem services costs the EU at least 50 billion euro per year.
Further information
Renew Europe: Better monitoring yields healthier soils
Strasbourg, March 11, 2024
Our soils are teeming with life. More than half of all life on Earth lives in the soil. From billions of bacteria and fungi, to plants, trees and animals. The upper layer of the Earth’s crust, which consists of mineral particles, organic matter, water and air, allows plants, vegetables and fruits to flourish and to produce food for all.
Unfortunately, up to 70% of all soils in Europe are currently in an unhealthy state, according to scientific evidence. In addition, there is also a lack of comprehensive data on soil health from soil monitoring, resulting in a lack of consistency and comparability across the EU. Healthy soils are an essential part of the solution to ensure a sustainable and resilient economy and environment as they increase resilience to climate change, to extreme weather events, droughts and floods, and provide biomass for the bioeconomy. Renew Europe therefore welcomes this evenings’ approval in ENVI committee of the fruitful work done, led by Renew Europe Rapporteur Martin Hojsík, for the establishment of a Soil Monitoring and Resilience Law to maintain soils in Europe in a healthy condition and prevent deterioration, all with the view to achieve healthy soils across the EU by 2050.
Making our soils healthy and fertile again will involve setting up a solid and flexible legal framework for soil monitoring and assessment for all soils across the EU, in order to continuously improve soil health in the Union. Taking into account the rich diversity and the geographical, natural and climate peculiarities of the various soils in the Member States, the data of collected soil samples on site will be used to generate as much information as possible at the time of extraction or in the future, including for further research and innovations. In order to support the Member States in their mission for better soils, the Commission shall establish a sustainable soil management toolbox that will provide soil managers with practical information on the use of sustainable soil management practices.
MEP Martin Hojsík (Progresívne Slovensko, Slovakia), Renew Europe rapporteur says:
“Soil is a living treasure under our feet. It purifies water, regulates climate and provides food to our tables. Without soil we have no future and farmers have no living. That is why we work to have better data to help us make our soils healthy and resilient for our future.”
Source – Renew Europe