Press Release: Environment: Commission calls for a stronger response to soil degradation

Soil degradation is a worrying phenomenon in the EU. Between 1990 and 2006, at least 275 hectares of soil per day were permanently lost through soil sealing – the covering of fertile land by impermeable material – amounting to 1,000 km² per year, or an area the size of Cyprus every ten years.

Soil erosion by water is estimated to affect 1.3 million km² in Europe, an area equivalent to 2.5 times the size of France. Soil degradation affects our capacity to produce food, prevent droughts and flooding, stop biodiversity loss, and tackle climate change. These are some of the main findings of two new reports on the policy and scientific aspects of European soil presented by the European Commission.

European Environment Agency: News, 14.2.12: Soil protection critical for Europe's economy and ecosystems http://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/soil-protection-critical-to-safeguard

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