25 November 2019
Soil and Sustainable development Goals: Challenges and the Need for Action
The Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) were launched by the United Nations in 2015 and aim to provide a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.
In total, there are 17 Goals, covering a range of social and environmental indicators, such as sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11), and life on land (Goal 15). Set within goal 15, is the indicator 15.3, which aims to combat desertification and restore degraded land and soil. This was the focus of a meeting organised by the Soils Unit of the European Commission held in November in Brussels. Delegates from both the public and private sectors heard from a range of speakers about the need for action and the urgency of the situation.
Further information about the conference, including copies of the speakers’ presentations and a draft report on ‘Providing support in relation to the implementation of soil and land related Sustainable Development Goals at EU level’ can be accessed here.
The full article can be accessed here.
The recently published State of the Environment Report 2020 by the EEA can be accessed here.
ECN presents European Commission with S.O.S Manifesto
Stefanie Siebert, ECN’s Executive Director, presented Claudia Olazabal (Head of Soils Unit, DG Environment) with a manifesto signed by key stakeholders. A joint initiative between ECN and the Italian Composting and Anaerobic Digestion organisation, CIC, sets out why Europe’s soils needs protection and highlights the lack of an EU-wide policy tool. It calls on policy makers to develop instruments to move Europe towards implementing sustainable, climate-proof land management practices.
Stefanie also presented Claudia with a copy of ECN’s flagship status report ‘European Bio-waste Management’.
L-R: Claudia Olazabal and Stefanie Siebert