The document outlines recommendations for promoting targeted soil research in Europe, focusing on developing a prioritized research agenda and assessing the impact of soil research on the environment and society. It suggests creating a web-based platform to organize soil research resources and highlights the importance of disseminating research outcomes to various audiences. Additionally, it addresses funding challenges that limit the achievement of these goals and the need for dedicated support for implementation.

1. PILLAR 3
PROMOTE TARGETED SOIL RESEARCH
FOR EUROPE AND BEYOND
Coen Ritsema, Gergely Tóth, Suhad Saleh and other ESP Pillar 3 members

2. Recommendations to Pillar 3
adopted by the ESP Plenary Assembly 2018
1. Review and promote targeted soil research
2. Highlight benefits of soil research to environment
and society
3. Highlight the profitability of soil research
investment (rescheduled)
4. Soil research internet platform
5. Promotion of ESP through dissemination of
research results

3. Recommendation 1 – Review and promote
targeted soil research
Define a prioritized soil research agenda for Europe to advance the state of
knowledge

4. Output target Current status to be performed
in 2019
to be performed
beyond 2019
1/a. Review
prioritized soil
research agenda
for Europe
The INSPIRATION1 project
released its bottom-up demand-
driven research needs, covering
14 integrated and 19 thematic
research needs
Prioritisation to be
performed by
stakeholder
involvement and
in consultation
with scientists
Joint PhD (UP-WU)
project to build
further on the
INSPIRATION
outlook, and other
related reports
1/b. Review the
needs of the five
ESP Pillars in terms
of inter- and
transdisciplinary
research
The European Joint
Programming on soil has started
and a consortium is formed
which proposes research
activities on priority topics for
Europe in the next 5 years
Proposal
submitted early
2019 with a range
of European
partners
Priority topics and
research agenda
set in relation to
climate-smart and
sustainable
management of
agricultural soils
[1] http://www.inspiration-h2020.eu/sites/default/files/upload/documents/inspiration_sra_2018.pdf
1. Review and promote targeted soil research

5. 2. Highlight benefits of soil research to
environment and society
Source: Soil Science Society of America: Helping to Create
Solutions from the Ground Up

6. Output target Current status to be
performed in
2019
to be
performed
beyond 2019
2. Assessing the
feasibility of
implementation of
strategic research
and innovation
roadmaps in relation
to agendas of end-user
communities
Assessment of current practical
implementation of soil research
results of sustainable land
management practices in Europe
(as a feasibility assessment)
Start of the
assessment
Complete the
assessment
and report the
results
2. Highlight benefits of soil research to
environment and society

7. Recommendation 3 – Highlight the profitability of
soil research investment
Source: Soil Science Society of America: The economics of soil - S. V Fisk
Source: Thesis Matthew Dimal

8. Output target Current status Notice
3. Evaluate the return
(impact/cost benefit) of
investment in soil
research
Rescheduled for the
next term by ESB
Plenary
A Working Group on Natural
Capital Accounting and Innovative
Financing has been established
under the Sino-EU Panel on Land
and Soil. Cooperation between the
WG and ESP P3 has been
established.
Recommendation 3 – Highlight the profitability of
soil research investment

9. Recommendation 4 – Soil research internet platform
Assess existing soil research partners, facilities, infrastructures, and
soil research programs across Europe, and development of a soil
knowledge hub for different audiences

10. Recommendation 4 – Soil research internet platform
Output target Current status to be performed
in 2019
to be
performed
beyond 2019
4. Initiate a web-based
platform for a
structured inventory of
soil research partners,
facilities,
infrastructures, soil
research programs and
metadata on available
soil information across
Europe.
a) The BonaRes1 approach was
regarded as a good example,
possibly to build on.
b) The ESDAC2 seem to be a
natural home of such
platform.
Two possible options of
implementation:
- Enhance BonaRes (resources?
Administrative arrangement?)
- Develop platform within ESDAC
(resources? arrangement?)
Decision on the
approach
followed and
administrative
arrangement for
implementation
Funding for
portal
establishment
and
maintenance
1https://www.bonares.de/ 2https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu

11. Recommendation 5 – Promotion of ESP
through dissemination of research results
Actively promoting the European Soil Partnership programme,
specifically the one of Pillar 3, across different events and audiences
using a range of dedicated means.

12. Recommendation 5 – Promotion of ESP through
dissemination of research results
Output target Current status to be performed
in 2019
to be
performed
beyond
2019
5. Promotion of the
European Soil
Partnership
programme, specifically
the one of Pillar 3
Promotion of ESP at different
events (workshops etc.)
Continuous
promotion
Continuous
promotion

13. PILLAR 3 - DISCUSSION and NEXT STEPS
Comments/remarks
 Pillar 3 functions , but is limited in achieving all goals due to a lack of funding
 Participating institutes and experts invested time to progress (voluntarily)
 Implementation of some targets (eg. Internet platform) is not feasable without
funding
 Dedicated trainees at FAO/GSP are required to fulfil the envisioned tasks