Global Summit To Tackle Crises In Food Production And Soil Degradation

The University of Sydney will host the first Global Soil Security Summit on 15-17 October 2024, aimed at mobilising action to secure the living skin of planet Earth, our precious soil resources.

Conference organiser and global soil expert Professor Alex McBratney from the Sydney Institute of Agriculture and School of Life and Environmental Sciences said: “The stark reality is that 40 percent of the world’s soil is already degraded, with projections suggesting that this figure could rise to 90 percent by 2050.

“Without urgent action now, a perfect storm of climate change, deforestation and monoculture agriculture could plunge us into a crisis of food production.”

The summit will attract soil and food experts from all six continents. The final plenary of the event will establish a global soil security thinktank, Aroura – Greek for fertile land – the first initiative of its kind aimed at fostering innovation and collaboration in soil and soil security.

Summit spokesperson Sandra Evangelista, from the Aroura Secretariat, is a PhD student in soil science at the University of Sydney, one of the world’s foremost institutions in this field.

She said: “The urgency of this crisis needs immediate action to secure our soil, which is vital for our survival and the proper functioning of our planet.”

Nearly 60 percent of all known species on Earth have soil as their primary habitat. Soil loss and degradation are serious threats to biodiversity.

“We tend to take soil for granted – but this could be a fatal error,” Professor McBratney said.

“Soil is crucial to human existence and planetary functioning. This is generally not recognised by science and governments. Securing soil into the future is a key existential challenge.”

If soil were degraded to the extent it functionally disappeared, it would lead to unprecedented famine, potential civilisational collapse plus the loss of half of all bacteria species and up to 80 percent of plant species.

“This might all sound dramatic, but the fact is we are using and degrading soil at a faster rate than it recovers,” Ms Evangelista said.

The summit aims to develop comprehensive policies that bolster soil security – an essential element for ensuring food security, mitigating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and protecting human health.

Participants will hear from distinguished environmental experts and soil scientists, including:

• Professor Damien Field (Australia)
• Professor Budiman Minasny (Australia)
• Professor Alex McBratney (Australia)
• Professor Pasquale Borrelli (Italy)
• Professor Fatima Maria de Souza Moreira (Brazil)
• Dr Cristine Morgan (USA)
• Dr Mercedes Román Dobarco (Spain)
• Dr Liesl Wiese (South Africa)
• Professor Jae E. Yang (South Korea)
• Professor Mara Thiene (Italy), an environmental economist focused on the social and economic value of soil
• Dr Irene Heuser (Germany), Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law’s Specialist Group on “Soil and Sustainable Agriculture Law”
• The Honourable Penelope Wensley (Australia), former Governor of Queensland and National Soils Advocate

Through a series of workshops and panel discussions, attendees will work to develop actionable recommendations and establish a comprehensive, long-term agenda for research, policy development, and practical applications in soil management.

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