Soil organic carbon on the political agenda

This chapter reviews the challenges in ensuring that soil health (particularly soil organic carbon as a key component of soil health) is fully recognised and integrated into relevant global and regional agreements, legislation and policy. As a case study it assesses the development, progress and current limitations of the EU Soil Thematic Strategy. It identifies what has been achieved and what still needs to be done in such areas as reversing soil degradation, sustainable soil management and soil carbon sequestration.