Soil Protection Working Group

Healthy soils are a basic precondition for a high quality of life, key to mitigating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and achieving food security. However, vast quantities are lost every day, partly due to natural hazards but largely driven by human soil consumption and unsustainable soil management. This is particularly crucial in the Alps, where the availability of soil is very limited. 

Due to the growing pressures on the use of soils in the Alpine region and increased risks, for example from climate change, the XV Alpine Conference called for more cooperation in the field of soil protection and established the Soil Protection Working Group in 2019.

The Working Group tackles quantitative and qualitative soil issues, cooperating with other Thematic Working Bodies and partners. This includes technical collaboration on harmonised soil monitoring for the Alps at the European level as well as with the FAO on the voluntary guidelines on sustainable soil management. In response to the long-term and cross-cutting dimensions of soil preservation the group established a Long-term Action Plan for soil protection in the Alpine region which defines short, medium, and long-term actions on priority topics for everyone working with soil in the Alps. 

Since its 2023-2024 mandate, the Working Group has fostered the implementation of activities from the Long-Term Acthon Plan. Other areas of focus include the economical and prudent use of soil in the Alps in cooperation with the Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development Working Group, moor protection, and awareness raising activities, including together with local partners