Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
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Soil degradation reaches across borders;
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There is a need for a comprehensive protective approach.
To preserve soil function and ensure terrestrial ecosystem services, the following
quality compartments should have priority:
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Biomass production, including agriculture and forestry;
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Storing, filtering and transforming nutrients, substances and water;
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Biodiversity pool, such as habitats, species and genes;
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Physical and cultural environment for humans and human activities;
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Source of raw materials;
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Acting as carbon pool;
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Archive of geological and archaeological heritage.
Degradation processes of sealing, erosion, organic matter decline, compaction,
salinization, acidification, landslides and contamination are the most characteristic
and degrading ones.
The Soil Framework Directive has not entered into force, in spite of 22 member
states in favor, but a minority formed by Austria, Germany, France, the Netherlands
and the United Kingdom blocked its acceptance for reasons of subsidiarity (Austria,
Germany, Netherlands) and proportionality/costs/ methods (France, United Kingdom).
The yield of the Soil Thematic Strategy in spite of the failure of the establishment
of the Soil Framework Directive is valuable. The studies and publications edited by
European Commission Environment and JRC (Joint Research Centre) filled in the gap
concerning what soil was characterized with, compared to air and water.
Evaluation (2007) and the information collected on soil protection measures in
member states, for example, under the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000),
assess the extent of soil degradation as a pressure on the water bodies and as an obstacle
to achieve good water quality or under the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD, 1994) that directly or indirectly contribute to the mitigation
of the soil threats identified in the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection (2006).
There are a number of regulations in Europe interacting or overlapping soil
strategy, such as:
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Water Framework Directive (2000)—Programs and Measures;
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Natura 2000 Management Plans;
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Nitrate Directive Action Plans;
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UNCDD National Action Programs;
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Structural Funds;
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Cross Compliance (JRC, 2013);
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Rural Development;
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Organic Farming Action Plans.
The CLIMSOIL (2008) review on the inter-relations between soil and climate
change is an important study on the contribution soils can make to climate change
mitigation and the effect of climate change on soil productivity and organic matter
depletion. A new brochure explains the role of soil in climate cycle (SOIL, 2011).
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