Awareness Raising
Goal - Objectives
Our Goal as Soil Action is to Establish an action plan for the development of measures/programmes/initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of soil across European society (i.e. policy makers, general public, universities, schools, industry, etc.).
Our Further objectives are:
- To review current soil education and awareness programmes and their accessibility by the general public.
- To identify which stakeholder groups/ policy makers / age groups are not receiving suitable information, with a view to ensuring that soil quality and protection is achieved across Europe
- To develop a resource base of publicly available educational material (multi-lingual) on the role of soils in society
- To coordinate, promote and provide support materials to soil awareness activities across Europe. For example, through communication and workshops with other networks (e.g. ENSA) and societies (National Soil Science Societies and Education Forums).
- To develop a European knowledge transfer project proposal for submission. E.g. cost action
In order to fullfil the above mentioned objectives, the SOIL Action in collaboration with the European Soil Bureau Network have established a Working Group.
Awareness Raising and Legislation
In Communication 2006 [Communication (COM(2006) 231)] it as underlined that little public awareness of the importance of soil protection. Measures to improve knowledge and exchange information and best practices are needed to fill this gap. To increase public awareness of the need to protect soil, the Commission will foster initiatives such as:
- Wide distribution of the Soil Atlas of Europe;
- Maintenance of the European Soil Portal (EUSOILS)for open access to policy relevant soil information (ESDAC);
- European Summer School on Soil Survey to provide specific training to young researchers;
- Initiatives such as EU Manifesto on Earth Heritage and Geodiversity;
- Integration of soil protection aspects in Community-funded information and training events
- Initiatives within the UNCCD (and other conventions)
Key Groups and Networks
Three keys areas have been identified in order to target our activities: education, policy awareness and public stakeholder groups. The following details potential outreach/education gaps for the three key areas:
Key Groups for targeted awareness and education outreach:
- Education
- Primary
- Secondary
- Tertiary Education (Life long learning, Summer schools)
- Policy awareness at European and Member States
- National Agencies
- DG Env soils
- Policy- DG’s
- Environmental Agencies
- Public Stakeholder groups:
- Gardeners
- Land based industries
- Land Planners
- Archaeologists
- Natura 2000/National Parks
- Urban areas
- Cultural aspects
Networks:
- Teachers associations (Earth science teachers association)
- National Soil Science Societies
- ENSA/ELSA
- World Association for soil and water conservation
- European Soil Bureau Network
- IUSS soil education and public awareness commission
- ESSC
- Geoparks
- Euro geo surveys
- Farmers associations
- European land owners association
- Mountain research initiative
- Ecology societies
| Important legal notice © European Communities, 1995- Last updated: |
European Commission - Joint
Research Centre Institute for Environment and Sustainability Contacts: Marc Van Liedekerke(tel. +39-0332-785179) Panos Panagos (tel. +39-0332-785574) |
JRC Activities
EU Presidency Soil Series