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Bridging Law and Soil Science to Promote Soil Health.

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Title:	Bridging Law and Soil Science to Promote Soil Health.
Authors:	Alblas, Edwin¹ (AUTHOR) edwin.alblas@wur.nl, Edlinger, Anna² (AUTHOR), Helfenstein, Julian³ (AUTHOR), Diaz Bernal, Maria Jose¹ (AUTHOR), Stomph, Dienke⁴ (AUTHOR), Berendsen, Bjorn⁵ (AUTHOR), Briones, Maria J. I.⁶ (AUTHOR), Creamer, Rachel⁷ (AUTHOR), van Egmond, Fenny² (AUTHOR), Grealish, Gerard⁸ (AUTHOR), Hacke, Marei⁷ (AUTHOR), Jongedijk, Esmer⁵ (AUTHOR), Lawson, Andrew⁹ (AUTHOR), Lima, Claudia¹⁰ (AUTHOR), Moloney, James⁸ (AUTHOR), Mommer, Liesje¹¹ (AUTHOR), Nussbaum, Madlene¹² (AUTHOR), Roberton, Stirling⁸ (AUTHOR), Ros, Mart² (AUTHOR), Tempels, Barbara¹³ (AUTHOR)
Source:	European Journal of Soil Science. Jul/Aug2025, Vol. 76 Issue 4, p1-7. 7p.
Subjects:	Soil science, Environmental protection, Evidence-based policy, Soil quality, European Union, Justice administration, Soil physics, Legal procedure, Soil productivity
Abstract:	Despite their crucial importance, soils generally enjoy limited legal protection, particularly when compared to other environmental domains such as air and water. We argue that legal systems are presently poorly equipped to effectively protect soil health, with a strong mismatch between the nature of law on the one hand, and the nature of soil on the other. Using the EU's proposed Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive as an example, we bring together knowledge from a wide range of disciplines to outline key challenges for enhancing legal protection for soils. In brief, while laws require uniformity and legal certainty, soils are by nature heterogeneous and their functioning is still not completely understood. Furthermore, while legal systems are inclined to impact soils at the property scale and as a commodity, from a scientific perspective soils are highly spatially interconnected and a non‐renewable resource. Finally, laws require mechanisms to detect (non‐) compliance, which can be very costly and complex given the nature of soils. For each challenge we discuss opportunities for scientists and law‐ and policymakers to address these gaps, including in terms of improved communication and priority areas for further research. Although challenges remain, tools are available to enhance evidence‐based soil management and strengthen soil protection efforts globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
	Copyright of European Journal of Soil Science is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database:	Engineering Source

Description
Abstract:	Despite their crucial importance, soils generally enjoy limited legal protection, particularly when compared to other environmental domains such as air and water. We argue that legal systems are presently poorly equipped to effectively protect soil health, with a strong mismatch between the nature of law on the one hand, and the nature of soil on the other. Using the EU's proposed Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive as an example, we bring together knowledge from a wide range of disciplines to outline key challenges for enhancing legal protection for soils. In brief, while laws require uniformity and legal certainty, soils are by nature heterogeneous and their functioning is still not completely understood. Furthermore, while legal systems are inclined to impact soils at the property scale and as a commodity, from a scientific perspective soils are highly spatially interconnected and a non‐renewable resource. Finally, laws require mechanisms to detect (non‐) compliance, which can be very costly and complex given the nature of soils. For each challenge we discuss opportunities for scientists and law‐ and policymakers to address these gaps, including in terms of improved communication and priority areas for further research. Although challenges remain, tools are available to enhance evidence‐based soil management and strengthen soil protection efforts globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	13510754
DOI:	10.1111/ejss.70127