European soils are crucial for our food production and provide essential ecosystem services such as supporting clean water, capturing carbon, and creating thriving habitats for biodiversity. Despite their importance, approximately 60% of soils in Europe are considered “unhealthy.”
To improve the condition of soils and continue providing these vital services, the European Commission established the EU Missions in 2021, aiming to achieve tangible outcomes in research, innovation, policies, and practices by 2030, particularly concerning soil health.
Atens, a leading biotechnology company specializing in the use of microorganisms, has unequivocally joined the Manifesto for Europe’s Soil Mission. Driving the transition towards sustainable agriculture has always been one of our primary objectives. Through our adherence to this manifesto, we reaffirm our commitment to caring for and restoring European soils, actively engaging in their protection and enhancement.
The Mission Soil Manifesto highlights the urgent need to act in safeguarding soil health. It represents a pivotal step in local commitment, mobilizing regions, municipalities, organizations, companies, schools, and other stakeholders, along with concerned citizens. Together, they can form a community dedicated to the well-being of soil health.
Join Atens in this important commitment to caring for our soils!
Mission Soil Manifesto
1. Soil is essential for the life of humans and nature. 95% of our food comes from soil. Healthy soils provide us with clean water, good air, sequester carbon thus mitigating and increasing the ability to adapt to climate change, and support biodiversity. Soils also sustain our landscape and cultural heritage and are the basis of our economy and prosperity. We acknowledge that soil is the basis of our well-being. With this Manifesto, we are creating a community that takes care of soils.
2. We need to protect and restore soils. Soils are a fragile resource that needs to be carefully managed and safeguarded for future generations. More than 60% of soils in the EU are considered to be in an unhealthy state due to unsustainable management practices, pollution or sealing. Climate change puts further pressure on soils and accelerate land degradation. All types of soil are concerned. No soil should be left behind.
3. Soil protection and restoration need to be embedded in all human activities that have an impact on land. Protecting and improving soils is crucial to sustain the well-being and prosperity of everyone. We can all contribute to halting soil degradation and building a sustainable future based on healthy soils for food, people,nature and climate. Actions are encouraged at all levels: global, national, regional and local.
4. We support the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ (Mission Soil) and its goal to create 100 living labs and lighthouses by 2030 to promote soil protection and restoration in Europe. We also welcome activities under the Mission to address its specific objectives: reduce desertification, conserve soil organic carbon stocks, stop soil sealing and increase the re-use of urban soils, reduce soil pollution and enhance soil restoration, prevent erosion, improve soil structure to enhance soil biodiversity, reduce the EU global soil footprint, and improve soil literacy in society.
5. We are committed and motivated to contribute to the protection and restoration of soil health in our capacity, sector, and territory as this is a fundamental resource for the place where we live and for our well-being. We will contribute to raise awareness on the importance of soil and enlarge the community actively involved in caring for this precious resource
