Climate protection and soil protection-policy trends in the European Union

기술사마당: 기술자료 -기후보호와 토양보호-유럽연합의 정책동향

Soil plays a huge role in climate change, because even a tiny loss of 0.1% of carbon emitted into the atmosphere from European soils is the equivalent to the carbon emission of 100million extra cars on Europe's roads - an increase of about half of the existing car fleet. Soils contain around twice the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and three times the amount to be found in vegetation. Europe's soils are an enormous carbon reservoir, containing around 75billion tonnes, and poor management can have serious consequences. Soil degradation is accelerating across the EU, with negative effects on human health, ecosystems and climate change - and on economic prosperity and quality of life. Climate change is identified as a common element in many soil threats. Europe's soils urgently need better protection. The current trend of soil degradation needs to be reversed, and soil management practices must be improved if a high rate of soil carbon sequestration is to be achieved.