Luca Montanarella EUROPEAN COMMISSION JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE

1. Trends in Land Degradation in Europe Luca Montanarella EUROPEAN COMMISSION JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE Institute for Environment and Sustainability TP 280 I-21020 Ispra (VA), Italy Arusha 11-15/12/2006

2. COMMUNICATION COM(2006) 231 on the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection DIRECTIVE COM(2006) 232 establishing a framework for the protection of soil and amending Directive 2004/35/EC IMPACT ASSESSMENT SEC(2006) 620 of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection EU Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection adopted by the European Commission on the 22nd of September 2006 Arusha 11-15/12/2006

3. The impact of human activities on soil Manures and fertilisers Diffuse input of contaminants as particulates Acids Sewage sludge Persistent substances Pesticides & herbicides Heavy metals Gravel extraction Accumulation/ Contamination Gradual disappearance of farms Soil erosion Release of toxic substances Compaction Salinisation Distruction of humus Sealing Acidification Blocking of soil functions important to the ecology of the landscape Destruction of soil Destruction of soil Gradual destruction of soils Reduction in soil fertility Changes in the structure of soils Reduction in soil fertility Contamination of soils and ground water with applied agrochemicals and atmospheric pollutants Changes in soil composition Adverse impacts on living organisms in the soil Arusha 11-15/12/2006

4. Erosion Decline in organic matter Soil contamination Soil sealing Soil compaction Decline in soil biodiversity Salinisation Floods and landslides Threats to soil as identified in COM(2002) 179 Arusha 11-15/12/2006

5. PESERA Soil Erosion Risk Assessment Water erosion: 115 Million ha Wind erosion: 42 Million ha Arusha 11-15/12/2006

6. Main human-induced driving forces • Soil disturbance e.g. ploughing up-and-down slopes • Removal of vegetative soil cover and/or hedgerows • Increased field size (open fields) • Abandonment of terraces • Late sowing of winter cereals • Overstocking • Poor crop management • Inappropriate use of heavy machinery, in agricultural and forestry practices, but also during construction works. Arusha 11-15/12/2006

7. Consequences of erosion • On-site effects • Loss of soil • Loss of soil fertility due to disrupted nutrient cycles • Restrictions on land use hindering future redevelopment and reducing the area of productive and valuable soil available for other activities (agricultural and forestry production, recreation etc.) • Land value depreciation • Off-site effects • Damage to infrastructures due to excessive sediment load • Diffuse pollution of surface water • Negative effects on aquatic ecosystems and thereby biodiversity • Reduced water retention capacity, hence higher flood risk • Human health problems due to dust and particles in the air Arusha 11-15/12/2006

8. Cost of soil erosion Arusha 11-15/12/2006

9. Topsoil Organic Carbon Content (30cm) Organic matter decline Model output Aggregated results Organic carbon content (%) in the surface horizon (0-30 cm) of soils National Soil Organic Carbon stocks (0-30cm) in Gt Arusha 11-15/12/2006

10. Estimated changes in carbon stocksacross England & Wales (and UK)Bellamy et al., Nature 437, 245-248 (2005) Net rate of change in England & Wales = -4.4 Mt yr-1 Net rate of change in UK ≈ -4.4 x UK / E&W topsoil OC stock ≈ -13 Mt yr-1 Arusha 11-15/12/2006

11. Soil organic carbon decline • Main human-induced driving forces • Conversion of grassland to arable land • Drainage of wetlands • Poor crop rotation and plant residue management such as burning crops residues • Accelerated mineralization due to management practices such as continued tillage • Deforestation Arusha 11-15/12/2006

12. Consequences of SOM decline • Release of greenhouse gases • Negative effects on biodiversity, including soil biodiversity • Reduced water infiltration due to changes in soil structure, hence higher flood risk • Reduced absorption of pollutants and increased water and air pollution • Increased erosion with the effects stated above such as: • Loss of fertile soil • Loss of soil fertility (i.a. due to disrupted nutrient cycles) • Damage to infrastructures due to excessive sediment load • Diffuse pollution of surface water • Negative effects on aquatic ecosystems and thereby biodiversity • Restrictions on land use and hindering future redevelopment and reducing the area of productive and valuable soil available for other activities (agricultural and forestry production, recreation etc.) • Land value depreciation Arusha 11-15/12/2006

13. Bacteria Others (6200) (3200) Acari Fungy (25000) (35000) Collembolla Algae (2500) (6500) Protozoa Nematodes (1500) (5000) Loss of Biodiversity in Soil • Consequences of biodiversity decline • Reduced food web functioning and consequently crop yield losses • Reduced soil formation • Reduced nutrient cycling and nitrogen fixation • Reduced carbon sequestration • Reduced resilience of the soil to endure pressures • Reduced recycling of organic waste/litter • Increased plant pests and diseases • Reduced water infiltration rate and water holding capacity • Reduced bioremediation capacity • Hampered soil structure (by affecting the stabilisation of organo-mineral complexes) • Reduced genetic resources present in the soil, including moral and ethical consequences • Negative impacts on terrestrial biodiversity outside of soil Number of known species in soil Arusha 11-15/12/2006

14. Soil Salinisation in Europe Salinisation affects around 3.8 million ha in Europe Arusha 11-15/12/2006

15. Main human-induced driving forces for salinisation • Poor irrigation technology • Inappropriate drainage • Use of saline waters for irrigation and the overexploitation of groundwater • Consequences of salinisation • On-site effects • Loss of soil fertility due to toxic effects of high salt content • Loss of biodiversity • Land value depreciation • Off-site effects • Reduced water infiltration and retention resulting in increased water run-off • Damage to transport infrastructure from shallow saline groundwater • Damage to water supply infrastructure Arusha 11-15/12/2006

16. Cost of Soil Salinisation in Europe Arusha 11-15/12/2006

17. Soil contamination • Main human induced driving forces • Industrial installations • Mining installations • Illegal waste dumps and landfill sites not properly managed • Storage of chemicals • Accidental and provoked spills of chemicals • Atmospheric depositions of dangerous substances • Military sites • Intentional introduction of dangerous substances in the soil Arusha 11-15/12/2006

18. Consequences of soil contamination • Risk to human health for people living on and in the surroundings of a contaminated site (through different exposure paths, e.g. consumption of food grown in from contaminated areas) • Contamination of surface water, mainly through run off of contaminated sediments • Contamination of groundwater and hence drinking water if extracted from groundwater • Risk to human health through drinking water extracted underneath of a contaminated site • Risk of ecotoxicity for the flora and fauna living in the soil on the site and around a contaminated site causing loss of biodiversity and biological activity • Loss of soil fertility due to disrupted nutrient cycles • Restrictions on land use and hindering future redevelopment and reducing the area of productive and valuable soil available for other activities (agricultural and forestry production, recreation etc.) • Land value depreciation Arusha 11-15/12/2006

19. The Cost of Soil Contamination Estimated total annual cost caused by soil contamination for EU25 (€ M, 2003) Arusha 11-15/12/2006

20. Soil Compaction in Europe 36% of European Soils are having high or very high susceptibility to compaction Arusha 11-15/12/2006

21. Soils in Europe can support different loads depending on their soil strength Source: R. Horn, personal communication Precompression stress at a given pore water pressure pF 1.8 for topsoils of Europe in relation to a given low topsoil load (tyre inflation pressure: 60 kPa), high topsoil stress: 200 kPa) Classification of the effective soil strength by the relationship of precompression stress to soil pressure: >1.5 very stable, elastic deformation, 1.5-1.2 stable, 1.2-0.8 labile, >0.8 unstable, additional plastic deformation. Arusha 11-15/12/2006

22. Damage due to increasing soil deformation Heavy machinery compacts arable, forest, and pasture soils Effects on the environment Consequences for plant production Reduced growth, higher uncertainty less yield Dust emission increased N2O gas emission Increased fungi deseases, more weeds After rain storm Rapid water table increase in rivers and lakes erosion N - loss due to stagnic water Surface water runoff increase Reduced root growth (less dense and deep) Soil biota suffers Soil quality declines due to - reduced pore volume,- reduced aeration Effects on soil management - higher draft energy required, - higher fuel consumption,- wet and cold soils result in smaller number of working days,- more fertilizers needed • Water infiltration reduced, • - soils remain longer wet and cold, - more slaking problems, - reduced water storage Reduced groundwater recharge The Impact of Soil Compaction in Europe Arusha 11-15/12/2006 Source: R. Horn, personal communication

23. Soil Sealing by Infrastructure and Housing Arusha 11-15/12/2006

24. Main human driving forces for sealing • Urban sprawl • Increased transport • Movement of population • Consequences of sealing • Disruption of gas, water and energy fluxes • Increased flood risks • Reduced groundwater recharge • Increases water pollution (due to runoff water from housing and traffic areas being normally unfiltered and potentially contaminated with harmful chemicals) • Loss in soil and terrestrial biodiversity (due to fragmentation of habitats) The Impact of Soil Sealing Arusha 11-15/12/2006

25. Landslides Arusha 11-15/12/2006

26. Main human-induced driving forces for landslides • Rupture of topography such as due to construction works • Land use changes such as deforestation and land abandonment • Extractions of materials Arusha 11-15/12/2006

27. The Cost of Landslides in Europe Arusha 11-15/12/2006

28. Extensive soil and land degradation processes are occurring in Europe. Observed degradation processes are mostly human induced. Extreme climatic events may further exacerbate the impact of the land degradation on local population. The total costs of soil degradation that could be assessed for erosion, organic matter decline, salinisation, landslides and contamination on the basis of available data, would be up to €38 billion annually for EU25. The recently adopted Soil Thematic Strategy by the European Commission provides the legal framework for EU Member States to implement adequate responses in order to revert the negative trend of land and soil degradation in Europe. Conclusions Arusha 11-15/12/2006

29. Preliminary announcement Wengen-2007International and Interdisciplinary Workshop Desertification and Climate Change Hotel Regina, Wengen, Switzerland, September 10-14, 2007 Co-organized by: Michel Verstraete, Andreas Brink and Luca Montanarella European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, Italy Bob Scholes Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa & Martin Beniston Universities of Geneva and Fribourg, Switzerland Arusha 11-15/12/2006

30. Thank you for your interest! “Unity in diversity” Arusha 11-15/12/2006