199-10 How to Can Soil Science Help to Reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

See more from this Division: SSSA Division: Pedology
See more from this Session: Novel Approaches to Quantify and Combat Soil Degradation

Tuesday, November 8, 2016: 10:30 AM
Phoenix Convention Center North, Room 227 C

Saskia Keesstra, Wageningen University & Research Centre, Wageningen, NETHERLANDS, Johan Bouma, soils, formerly Wageningen University, Rhenen, Netherlands, Pablo Tittonell, Natural Resources and Environment Program, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Luca Montanarella, European Commission - DG Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy, Jakob Wallinga, Soil Geography and Landscape Group,, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands, Gerber de Mol, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, Netherlands, Louise Fresco, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, Netherlands, Richard D. Bardgett, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, England, Boris Jansen, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wim van der Putten, Department of Nematology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands, Yakov A. Pachepsky, Bldg. 173 BARC-EAST, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD, John Quinton, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University,, , Lancaster, United Kingdom,, United Kingdom, Simon Moolenaar, Department of Science & Education,, Commonland,, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Peter Smith, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences,, University of Aberdeen,, Aberdeen, United Kingdom, United Kingdom and Artemi Cerda, Blasco Ibáñez, 28, University of Valencia, València, SPAIN
Abstract:

Why are soil scientists important to reach the recently adopted UN Sustainable Development Goals?

In this contribution we want to explain which role soil science and the related soil functions have for the ecosystem services. And how in turn these ecosystem services are linked to the  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this contribution we want to show which role soil scientists can have both within the scientific arena as well as in society. The following recommendation can be given to both soil scientists as well as to the society in general: (i) Take the opportunity to embrace the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as they form a platform that can demonstrate that soil science is highly relevant for realizing a sustainable society by 2030; (ii) Show the value of soil science research such as the use of modern soil information in inter- and trans-disciplinary studies that are related to food security, water scarcity, climate change, biodiversity loss and health threats; (iii) Create awareness among soil scientists that our discipline forms a unique position to take leadership in overarching systems-analyses of ecosystems; (iii) Raise awareness in society of soil organic matter as a key attribute of soils to show its importance for a sustainable world; (iv) Promote the transfer of soil science knowledge through knowledge brokers that have a soil background; (v) Start awareness raising in educational programs at all levels; (vi) Improve communication with policy makers by scaling our research to a comprehensible and usable size; and finally (vii) Promote communication between disciplines, to the world-at-large and to the policy arena.

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 603498 (RECARE project).

See more from this Division: SSSA Division: Pedology
See more from this Session: Novel Approaches to Quantify and Combat Soil Degradation