FAO warns of accelerating global soil degradation at COP17

At the COP17 conference in Mongolia, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released 'The Status of the World’s Soil Resources 2026' report, warning that global soil degradation is accelerating faster than current mitigation strategies. The report reveals that 58% of monitored areas have seen a decline in soil quality since 2015, while only 10% have shown improvement. Erosion remains the most critical threat, with 81% of analyzed areas showing poor management of the phenomenon.

Drivers of this deterioration include rapid population growth, urbanization, intensive agriculture, pollution, and conflict. While sustainable practices such as agroforestry, crop diversification, and reduced tillage are available and proven, the FAO notes they are not being implemented at the necessary scale or speed.

Andrea Tiso, president of the European farmers' confederation Confeuro, emphasized the interconnected nature of these issues, noting that soil degradation exacerbates the climate crisis and threatens food security. Confeuro is advocating for an integrated strategy that combines environmental protection with responsible resource management and increased support for younger generations in agricultural policy.