The document summarizes the implementation of recommendations from the Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon (GSOC17) to foster protection, sequestration, measurement, mapping, monitoring and reporting of soil organic carbon. It discusses the establishment of a working group to develop guidelines for measuring and mapping soil organic carbon to support management decisions. The working group synthesized a process for generating the structure of a technical manual on soil organic carbon management, which includes recommended management practices for different land use systems to preserve and enhance soil organic carbon stocks. It provides an update on the timeline and participation in developing this manual.

1. Rosa Cuevas
GSP Secretariat
Implementation of the
GSOC17 Outcome
Document

2. Milestone event:
First time that a scientific
symposium of this nature
is co-organized by
different organizations
and bodies of the United
Nations to gather
scientific evidence for
policy development on
the role of SOC for climate
change, food security and
SDGs agendas.
Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon

3. • 8 recommendations paving the
way forward for the global SOC
work. Through the
development of policies and
implementation of actions to
foster the protection,
sequestration, measurement,
mapping, monitoring and
reporting of SOC.
• Partners are currently working
on the implementation of the
Outcome Document and
specific recommendations.

5. Recommendation 1: Organize capacity development and
training for countries to develop national reference values for
SOC stocks, as well as the necessary data management
capacities and facilities.
• 150 experts
• from 110 countries
• covering 60% of
the world area.
SOC mapping

6. Recommendation 2: Establish a working group to develop
feasible and regionally contextualized guidelines for measuring,
mapping, monitoring and reporting on SOC that can be adapted
locally to monitor SOC stocks and stock changes to support
management decisions.
• 135 experts from
all GSP Regions
responded to the
Call
!WE ARE HERE!

7. Recommendation 3: In estimates of the potential for SOC sequestration,
include the full GHG balance and consider possible interactions between
the carbon and nitrogen cycles that could affect the climate change
mitigation potential of applied practices.
Recommendation 4: The design of implementation strategies and
appropriate soil and land management practices for SOC protection and
sequestration should consider land use and the local environmental,
socio-economic, cultural and institutional contexts, and potential
barriers to adoption.
Recommendation 5: Identify and specify the tangible short-term and
long-term benefits for farmers of management practices for SOC
sequestration to trigger their adoption, and introduce mechanisms to
incentivize the adoption of such practices.

8. The VGSSM is generally compatible with the
SM of SOC. It is general in nature, however,
and should be refined at the national and local
scales to encompass site-specific condition:
• Climate
• Soil type
• Land use and
• Farm typology

9. Working group to produce a technical manual on SOC
management at the regional and sub-regional scale
• This WG represented a response to the
urgent need to identify and compile
management practices and LUS that
promote the preservation and/or
enhancement of SOC stocks.
• The establishment of this open WG is
an important activity as part of the GSP
Pillar 1 to:
“Promote sustainable management of soil
resources for soil protection, conservation
and sustainable productivity”

10. Synthesis of the process for generating the structure
of the technical manual on SOC management
Regional Soil Partnerships Global ecological zones
LADA Global Map
of Land Use Systems
Synthesis:
LADA Global Map of LUS
Call for the establishment
of a WG and definition of
the structure of the
manual
Online survey
filling and sending resultsDefinition of the timelineReview by ITPS and other
stakeholders
LAUNCH OF THE TECHNICAL
MANUAL ON SOC MANAGEMENT

11. • In which land use system is the management
practice applied?
• Description of the practice.
• Region and/or country where this practice has
been applied or studied.
• Associated soil processes that enable SOC
preservation and/or increase.
• Possible side effects that could negatively affect
the climate change mitigation potential of the
practice
• Considerations for adoption within the cultural
and socio-economic context.
• Possible synergies and co-benefits or conflicts
with other practices.
• References and further reading.
WG-SOC Management at the regional
and sub-regional scale
ONLINE SURVEY
Structure of the technical manual
on SOC management
1. Introduction and preparation process
of the technical manual
2. Points of consideration when studying,
recommending and adopting
sustainable soil management practices
that target the preservation and/or
enhancement of SOC
3. Recommended management practices
and actions for preservation and/or
enhancement of SOC
4. Experiences with diverse incentivizing
mechanisms for large scale practice
adoption
5. Future directions and identified gaps

12. Structure of the technical manual on SOC management
3. Recommended management
practices and actions for
preservation and/or
enhancement of SOC
1. Unmanaged and Protected Lands (including
virgin forests, rangelands, grassland,
shrublands,
2. Forestry (managed/silviculture).
3. Forestry with agricultural or livestock
activities: agroforestry, silvopastoral
systems.
4. Grassland, shrublands, and bare and sparse
areas with low, moderate, and high
livestock density.
5. Rainfed agriculture - subsistence and
familiar.
6. Rainfed agriculture – commercial.
7. Irrigated agriculture.
8. Rainfed or irrigated agriculture with
livestock.
9. Urban areas.
10. Wetlands with agricultural activities.

13. Updating
• 220 people answered the call
• 80 replied to the online questionnaire
• 130 actively participating
• Online participation and collaboration
• Formal format with the editorial rules
• Google docs for editing and correcting
Working group to produce a technical
manual on SOC management at the
regional and sub-regional scale

14. TIMELINE
!WE ARE HERE!

15. Recommendation 6: Prevent SOC losses by maintaining current
SOC stocks (especially in carbon-rich soils) as the minimum action
on SOC management.
Recommendation 7: Prioritize soils with the highest carbon stocks
in the development of national and regional policies on soil
conservation to prevent SOC losses.
Recommendation 8: Support land-users sufficiently to implement
and sustain appropriate soil and land management practices to
protect and enhance SOC under local conditions for long-term
benefit.

16. Objectives of the INBS
• To provide a platform for countries with
BS to discuss common issues related to
the conservation and SM of BS.
• To develop a report on the global status.
• To foster collaboration among countries.
• Identify relevant research gaps.

17. Koronivia: capitalizing on the expertise
captured under the GSP process
Improved soil carbon, soil health and soil fertility under
grassland and cropland as well as integrated systems,
including water management.

18. Thanks for your attention!