Global Soil Partnership Newsletter
Season's Greetings!
This year has been a huge success, with achievements across the world. First of all, we saw the launch of the Global Soil Organic Carbon map (GSOCmap). This is a country-driven endeavor, which strongly contributes to defining the area of degraded land under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 15.3.1, as well as adding values to other goals.
Soil continued to be at the top of global political agenda, especially when the links between soils and climate change strengthened with the Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon (GSOC17), held from 21st to 23rd March 2017 at FAO HQ. Over 500 participants from 115 countries reflected on the potential beneficial effects of soils in storing and sequestering more carbon from the atmosphere. Furthermore, the capacity-building training program reached 110 countries trained on digital soil mapping techniques across different regions.
The year-long agenda culminated in celebrations of World Soil Day 2017 (WSD) under the motto “Caring for the Planet starts from the Ground”, when an announcement of the upcoming Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18) highlighted the willingness of UN organizations and conventions to fight for the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. Within four years from its establishment, World Soil Day has become an important event on national and international agendas, as each year new actors join to support our common goal of achieving healthier soils.
Best wishes and thanks to all of our partners, donors and stakeholders. We look forward to an exciting and fruitful 2018!
The Global Soil Partnership Secretariat
Global Symposium on Soil Pollution | 2-4 May 2018, FAO HQ
The Global Soil Partnership’s Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS), supported by FAO, in collaboration with the Secretariats of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, UN Environment and World Health Organization (WHO) are pleased to announce that the Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18) will be held at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 2 to 4 May 2018.
Participants representing all regions of the world will discuss a roadmap for the development of knowledge-based guidance on soil pollution considering the latest knowledge from soil research, the identification of research gaps and the translation of knowledge into practical guidance. The symposium will also be a bold contribution to the UNEA3 resolution on Managing Soil Pollution. GSOP18 will constitute a common scientific platform to discuss and elaborate the latest information on the status, trends and actions (both scientific and political) on soil pollution. The symposium – articulated in 5 themes and 6 sub-themes – aims to support the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on Sustainable Soil Management, particularly its chapter on soil contamination, in terms of combating soil pollution by collecting information, reviewing existing frameworks, launching global activities to reduce soil pollution, and restore polluted sites.
The Organizing Committee of the GSOP18 hereby invites the submission of extended abstracts using this template for oral and poster presentations fitting one of the five themes of the Symposium. Please see more details about the call for extended abstract and the application procedure on the website. The deadline for applications is February 15.
Experienced researchers and professionals with well-developed expertise in related disciplines are invited to register through this link by April, 1 2018. Please, note that there is no registration fee and participation in the symposium is free.
Global Symposium on Soil Pollution website
English | Español
The Global Soil Laboratory Network
The launch meeting of the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) was held at FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy from 1 to 2 November 2017. The importance of GLOSOLAN to harmonize soil analytical data and provide comparable information between countries and projects was highlighted. Indeed, national governments, international organizations, stakeholders and ultimately users, need harmonized soil data and information to promote the practice and ensure sustainable soil management.
GLOSOLAN would make soil information across laboratories, countries and regions comparable and interpretable, building a set of agreed harmonization principles, improving quality assurance and check (QA/QC) of soil analyses, and promoting information and experience exchange to develop capacities. The meeting brought together 44 laboratory experts from 37 countries. By November, 2 the Roadmap for Action was set-up, tasks and responsibilities were clarified, and Terms of Reference (ToRs) for GLOSOLAN and its Chair (Ms. Nopmanee Suvannang) were agreed upon. Finally, the way to address comparability and the interaction between GLOSOLAN and existing networks, in particular those related to the establishment of the Regional Soil Laboratory Networks (RESOLANs) was reviewed.
See more under the GLOSOLAN webpage | Report of the launch meeting of GLOSOLAN | Presentations | Photogallery
