The document outlines ongoing developments related to soil management, including technical manuals, soil pollution guidelines, and global partnerships aimed at enhancing soil biodiversity and health. It highlights recent initiatives such as the establishment of national soil partnerships and regional laboratory networks, as well as challenges faced in resource mobilization and implementation. Additionally, awareness-raising efforts like World Soil Day are gaining traction, with more countries participating and awards being established to recognize contributions in soil science.

1. Overall performance
of the GSP
Ronald Vargas, GSP Secretary

2. Ongoing developments

3. Soil organic carbon
• Finalizing technical manual for Soil Organic
Carbon management
• Improvement of the GSOCmap
• Preparation of the GSOC sequestration
potential study
• Implementation of the Koronivia Joint Work
on Agriculture (FAO submission and joint
submission with the “4 per mille” initiative)
focusing on soils
• Participation at the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) COP24
• The International Network on Black Soils
(INBS) held its first workshop

4. Soil pollution
• Global assessment of soil pollution
• Preparation of guidelines for mapping and
monitoring soil pollution
• Database on the best available
techniques to manage and remediate soil
pollution

5. Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) COP24
• Obtained mandate for preparing a report on
the state of knowledge on soil
biodiversity covering current status,
challenges and opportunities
• Organization of the Global Symposium on
Soil Biodiversity (10-12 March 2020)

6. Global Symposium on Soil
Erosion (GSER19)
• Outcome document ready for
implementation
• Preparation of the Global Soil Erosion map
• Political plan of action to be presented at
UNCCD COP14 in September 2019
• A global study on the costs and benefits of
soil erosion and soil erosion control

7. Global Soil Information
System (GLOSIS)
• More institutions are joining the
International Network of Soil
Information Institutions (INSII)
• A global soil salinity map is under
preparation

8. International Code of Conduct
for the sustainable use and
management of fertilizers
• Fertilizer Code has been finalized and agreed
by the COAG Bureau and is submitted for
the endorsement by the FAO Conference
in June 2019

9. Resource mobilization
• New projects are being supported by the
Russian Federation, the European
Commission, the Republic of Germany,
the Swiss Confederation, the
Netherlands and PhosAgro
• Prospects with the Republic of Korea and
The People’s Republic of China are under
discussion.
• Contribution of developing countries in
organizing and partially funding
workshops and other activities is increasing

10. Intergovernmental
Technical Panel on Soils
• ITPS continue to work on a challenging
agenda
• Increased activity in publishing
articles/opinion pieces with a science-
policy format in global journals

11. Global Soil Laboratory
Network (GLOSOLAN)
• Regional soil laboratory networks for Asia
(SEALNET), Latin America (LATSOLAN)
and Africa (AFRILAB) have been formally
established
• Regional networks in Europe, Eurasia, the
Near East and North Africa, and the Pacific are
to be launched

12. Awareness-raising
• World Soil Day is having a growing impact
with more countries joining the official
celebration on 5 December every year
• A new King Bhumibol World Soil Day
Award was established last year
• Glinka World Soil Prize was given to its
third winner.

13. Regional Soil
Partnerships (RSPs)
• All fully established but some are performing
more satisfactorily than others
• In several cases the lack of financial resources
and commitment delays implementation of
agreed activities
• Annual meetings were held in Asia, Near East
and North Africa, Latin America and
Europe (including Eurasia)
• The Centre of Excellence for Soil Research
(CESRA) was established in Asia, thanks to the
commitment of the Kingdom of Thailand

14. Soil governance
• Establishment of SoilLEX
• Establishment of GSP e-learning platform
EduSoils

15. Partnerships
• Collaboration with other initiatives is
steadily increasing and new partners are
joining the GSP.

16. Challenges
• Transforming favourable political context into concrete
investment in sustainable soil management practices on the
ground.
• Ensuring active and flexible role of GSP focal points
• Underperforming working group members or pillar chairs
• Ensuring active communication between the GSP
Secretariat and the RSPs
• Strengthening alignment between global and regional
activities
• Resource mobilization
• Covering expenses for simultaneous interpretation and
translation of documents in the UN languages for PA

17. Financial status of GSP
3 key points to be added

18. New developments

19. National Soil
Partnerships (NSPs)
• Bring a range of national soil stakeholders
formally together and ensure a
consolidated approach to the actions of
the GSP and other major initiatives related to
Sustainable Soil Management
• Coordinate efforts at the national level and
create a shared space to develop joint
programs
• Aim to facilitate the exchange of knowledge
and technology

20. More on NSPs
• Nine countries have established NSPs:
Brazil, Italy, Portugal, Syria, Thailand,
Nicaragua, Venezuela, Malawi and Mongolia;
other countries are planning the establishment
of such a partnership, i.e. Ukraine
• GSP Secretariat actively encourages
countries to establish their own NSPs
• To facilitate the creation and consolidation of
NSPs, the GSP Secretariat has prepared some
guidelines presented in Annex 1