2015 International Year of Soils

Soils are a non-renewable resource. Their conservation is essential for food security, they sustain the planet's biodiversity and help combat and adapt to climate change.

With the objective of increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of soil in all these issues, the 68th session of the UN General Assembly declared 2015 the International Year of Soils.

As part of this commemoration in Spain, the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) together with the Spanish Society for Soil Science (SECS) promote a series of research, educational and outreach initiatives on soil and its essential ecosystem functions.

At the international level, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is responsible for carrying out this year's actions, within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership and in collaboration with governments and the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

The specific objectives of the International Year of Soils (AIS) 2015 are:

• To achieve the full awareness of civil society and decision makers about the profound importance of soil for human life.
• Educate about the crucial role that soil plays in food security, climate change adaptation and mitigation, essential ecosystem services, poverty alleviation and sustainable development.
• Support effective policies and actions for the sustainable management and protection of soil resources.
• Promote investments in sustainable land management activities to develop and maintain healthy soils for different land users and population groups.
• Strengthen initiatives related to the Sustainable Development Goals process and the post-2015 agenda.
• Promote rapid improvement of capacity for soil information collection and monitoring at all levels (global, regional and national).

From Ideas Medioenvironmentanes, we invite you to participate in: http://www.suelos2015.es/acerca