Soil conservation
Healthy soils are key to mitigating and adapting to climate change, to preserving biodiversity and to achieving food security. However, vast quantities of healthy soils are lost every day. This loss is largely caused by human soil consumption. This is especially crucial in the Alps, where the availability of soil is particularly limited. The Contracting Parties of the Alpine Convention have committed "to reducing quantitative and qualitative soil damage, in particular by applying agricultural and forestry methods which do not harm the soil, through minimum interference with soil and land, control of erosion and the restriction of soil sealing” (Framework Convention, article 2, paragraph 2(d). In the Soil Conservation Protocol of the Alpine Convention, the Contracting Parties agreed upon more details for the successful implementation of soil conservation measures.
Protocol
- Soil Conservation Protocol
Thematic working bodies
The topic of soil conservation is addressed in one of the subgroups of the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) Action Group 6, which deals with the topic of “Preservation and valorisation of natural resources, including water and cultural resources”, led by the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention and the Province of Carinthia.
Publications and documents
- Coming soon: in-depth report of the Compliance Committee (2019)
- Coming soon: Soil Declaration (2019)
- Quo vadis sil protection in the Alps? Assessment of the Alpine Convention Soil Conservation Protocol and preparation/implementation of an international conference (2018)
- Alpine Soil Symposium: Soil Conservation Protocol of the Alpine Convention - between demand and reality (conference report), 23-24 June 2016
Projects
- Links4Soils (Alpine Space Programme) – project for connecting Alpine soil knowledge for sustainable ecosystem governance (2016-2020)
- The Alpine Soils Platform