Soil health and why it needs Europe-wide protection

The majority of soils across Europe are in poor condition as a result of unsustainable human activities. This has serious consequences for the health of people, the environment we live in and the ecosystems of our planet. The proposed EU Soil Health Law aims to protect soils to prevent further deterioration. Here, we explain 1) why soil health is vital for all life on earth, 2) how the European Soil Health law can help protect soil health, and 3) how WUR’s scientific approaches to soil health can help to effectively implement soil health policy. This policy discussion note is intended for policy makers and professionals
interested in protecting soil health and upcoming soil health policy in Europe. By describing how fundamental soil health is to human and planetary health, we also hope to inspire more people to support efforts aimed at protecting soil health.