Farming News - EU Parliament Sets out measures to achieve healthy soils by 2050 - experts respond
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EU Parliament Sets out measures to achieve healthy soils by 2050 - experts respond
- The European Parliament has approved the EU Soil Monitoring Law, which aims to restore European soils by 2050.
- Member states will now be required to monitor and assess soil health across their territories.
- The law introduces no new legal obligations for landowners or land managers; however, it requires EU Member States to support farmers in improving soil health and resilience.
- The law will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the EU Official Journal (likely late November 2025), with transposition into national law within 24–36 months.
The adoption of the first EU-wide soil law marks a significant step forward in the effort to protect and restore Europe's soils.
Save Soil, a global UNEP, IUCN, and FAO-backed campaign that was part of consultations on the text, welcomes the law's aim to restore healthy soils across the EU by 2050.
Speaking on the new law, Praveena Sridhar, CTO of Save Soi, said: "This will be a vital step towards safeguarding Europe's soils, supporting long-term food security, as well as supporting climate mitigation through increased carbon sequestration. Healthy soils are the foundation of both our food systems and our climate resilience. We are pleased to have contributed to the consultation process and hope that the law will be the first step for Europe to prioritise healthy soils: for climate resilience, for carbon sequestration, and for the next generation of farmers."
Speaking on the new law, Praveena Sridhar, CTO of Save Soi, said: "This will be a vital step towards safeguarding Europe's soils, supporting long-term food security, as well as supporting climate mitigation through increased carbon sequestration. Healthy soils are the foundation of both our food systems and our climate resilience. We are pleased to have contributed to the consultation process and hope that the law will be the first step for Europe to prioritise healthy soils: for climate resilience, for carbon sequestration, and for the next generation of farmers."
The Law's emphasis on soil monitoring is particularly important, as improved data on the state of European soil is a critical first step to tackling the crisis. Under current estimates, 60 to 70% of European soils are unhealthy due to the intensification of agricultural practices and climate change, as well as increasing urbanisation.
The law does not impose new laws on farmers, and it is encouraging that EU member states will be obliged to support farmers in their efforts to improve soil health and soil resilience.
"Support measures may include independent advice, training activities, and capacity building, as well as the promotion of research and innovation, and measures to raise awareness of the benefits of soil resilience," the parliament said.
Although Member States must regularly assess the financial costs to farmers and foresters of improving soil health and resilience, there is no financial framework behind the law. Ahead of COP30, Save Soil will again call for finance to be directed to farmers and for other specific policy changes that are needed urgently across the world.
As the world prepares for COP30 in Brazil, Save Soil warns that the failure to prioritise soil health in national climate strategies poses a grave global risk. First-of-their-kind analyses of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) by Save Soil have revealed the shocking absence of soil health commitments by the majority of countries — a critical omission that threatens global food security and could cost the world 2–3% of GDP annually.
Sridhar added, "Healthy, living soil is the foundation of climate adaptation: regenerative farms can retain up to 95% of their yields during droughts and store hundreds of thousands of litres of additional water per hectare, safeguarding both food systems and livelihoods.
Sridhar added, "Healthy, living soil is the foundation of climate adaptation: regenerative farms can retain up to 95% of their yields during droughts and store hundreds of thousands of litres of additional water per hectare, safeguarding both food systems and livelihoods.
We are urging governments across the globe to follow suit of the EU Soil Monitoring Law - embed soil health targets within their national climate frameworks, direct finance to farmers adopting regenerative practices, and treat soil as critical infrastructure for survival. By integrating soil restoration into climate policy, nations can strengthen food and water security, stabilise rural economies, and unlock one of the largest and most cost-effective climate solutions already beneath our feet."