Policy Frameworks - Soil Carbon: Science, Management and Policy for Multiple Benefits - page 344

(Jobbágy and Jackson, 2000; Guo and Gif-
ford, 2002). In turn, soils depend largely on
the levels of SOC for delivering major eco-
system services and functions (Schmidt et al .,
2011). A soil rich in organic matter is a
habitat for a rich biodiversity pool, a buffer
for contaminants, a store of water and major
nutrient elements for food and biomass pro-
duction and a regulator layer for gas ex-
changes with the atmosphere influencing
the global greenhouse gases (GHGs) balance
(Stockmann et al ., 2013). Soils are a source
of GHGs (CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O), especially
since the shift of attention from drylands to
a more global approach to land degradation,
usually interlinked with SOC depletion
(FAO, 2004).
In June 2012, world leaders gathered at
the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development (Rio+20) to agree on a sustain-
able goal on land. The proposed Sustainable
Development Goal of a 'Zero Net Land and
Soil Degradation World' paves the way to-
wards a renewed global effort on land, soil
protection and restoration activities, includ-
ing food security and poverty eradication.
The goal needs to be achieved by 2030 and
will require the commitment of both public
and private sectors (Ashton, 2012).

been chosen), as an activity accountable for
reaching committed emission reductions.
Second, Decision 15/ CMP.7 explicitly calls
on parties to support developing countries
in capacity-building activities for estab-
lishing the necessary expertise to estimate
changes in carbon stock in soils. Indeed, one
of the major concerns in including SOC in
any global C accounting system has been
the difficulty in the monitoring, reporting
and verification (MRV) of SOC levels over
relatively short periods, especially in coun-
tries lacking the necessary technology and
knowledge.
The dynamics of OC in soils are complex
and slow. Changes in concentration and
stocks are therefore difficult to detect and
understand. The spatial variability of soil
properties, the effect of soil and vegetation
management practices and general environ-
mental conditions are important factors to
consider when designing a monitoring net-
work (Post et al ., 2001; Goidts et al ., 2009).
In a simulation study, Saby et al . (2008)
showed that a time interval of about 10
years would enable the detection of large
changes in SOC content in most European
countries. The complex feasibility to assess
and verify the effect of changes in OC has
made the application of stringent verifica-
tion procedures difficult (Smith, 2004). Ef-
fective SOC monitoring is indeed a very
costly and time-consuming activity. New
emerging technologies, like spectral reflect-
ance methods and remote sensing, are still
in the development phase and not yet fully
operational (Brown et al ., 2006; Stockmann
et al ., 2013). A more realistic approach is to
base verification and accounting on the in-
direct assessment of SOC by monitoring
land-use changes and applying robust SOC
modelling techniques (Smith et al ., 2005;
Álvaro-Fuentes et al ., 2009; van Wesemael
et al ., 2010). First results are promising, and
may allow for consistent reporting of SOC at
national and global scales. A supplement to
the 2006 IPCC guidelines, drafted in 2013,
is expected to provide major guidance in
addressing specifically organic soils (drained,
rewetted and wet, be it under forest, cropland,
grassland, wetlands or whatever land-use
category), and may be adopted at UNFCCC

UNFCCC (LULUCF sector)

Climate change negotiations have been fo-
cusing mainly on the reduction of GHG
emissions, especially from industrial activ-
ities, but also from deforestation and forest
degradation (IPCC, 2003). The recent shift
to a more holistic approach towards ac-
counting for LULUCF has brought the issue
of SOC and its possible role in the negoti-
ation process to the attention of policy
makers. In 2011, at COP 17 of the UNFCCC
in Durban, South Africa, two major decisions
related to SOC were approved. First, Deci-
sion 2/ CMP.7 has included the new activity,
'Wetland drainage and rewetting' under
Article 3.4. of the Kyoto Protocol, which en-
ables the rewetting of organic soils under all
land-use categories (independent of whether
associated activities - such as cropland man-
agement and grazing land management - have