European Union soil degradation threatens food security

Approximately 70 percent of soils in the European Union are considered unhealthy, according to the European Commission. This degradation poses a significant threat to food security, climate stability, and economic resilience. The loss of nearly one billion tons of soil annually results in financial damages to agriculture and the broader economy exceeding 50 billion euros per year.

Soil degradation is a self-reinforcing cycle: as organic matter, structure, and biological activity decrease, the soil's ability to regulate water and store nutrients diminishes. This process is accelerated by rising temperatures, decreasing rainfall, and frequent extreme weather events. Furthermore, degrading soil releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change, which in turn further accelerates soil degradation.