This presentation was presented during the Plenary 1, Opening Ceremony of the Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon that took place in Rome 21-23 March 2017. The presentation was made by Mr. Luca Montanarella from EU Commission’s Joint Research Centre, in FAO Hq, Rome

1. The European Commission’s
science and knowledge service
Joint Research Centre
Soil Organic Carbon
Luca Montanarella
DG JRC.D.3
Chair of the GSP Intergovernmental Technical Panel on
Soils (ITPS)
Co-Chair of the IPBES Land Degradation and
Restoration Assessment (LDRA)

2. THE 27 SCIENTSTS MEMBERS OF THE ITPS 2015-2017
Proposed by GSP Partners and nominated by FAO Members
NORTH AMERICA
• Mr. Dan Pennock (Canada)
• Mr. Gary M. Pierzynsky (United States
of America)
EUROPE
Chair: Mr. Luca Montanarella (EC)
• Mr. Gunay Erpul (Turkey)
• Mr. Rainer Horn (Germany)
• Mr. Peter de Ruiter (The
Netherlands)
• Mr. Pavel Krasilnikov (Russian
Federation)
AFRICA
• Mr. Nsalambi V. Nkongolo
(Democratic Republic of Congo)
• Mr. Bhanooduth Lalljee (Mauritius)
• Mr. Martin Yemefack (Cameroon)
• Ms. Isaurinda dos Santos Baptista
Costa (Cape Verde)
• Ms. Botle Mapeshoane (Lesotho)
ASIA
• Mr. Patiram Brajendra (India)
• Mr. Sopon Chomchan (Thailand)
• Mr. Kazuyuki Yagi (Japan)
• Mr. Bahriuloom Amanullah (Pakistan)
• Mr. Gan-Lin Zhang (China)
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
• Mr. Juan Antonio Comerma
(Venezuela)
• Mr. Miguel Taboada (Argentina)
• Ms. Maria de Lourdes Mendonca
Santos Breffin (Brazil)
• Mr. Fernando Garcia Préchach
(Uruguay)
• Ms. Oneyda Hernandez Lara (Cuba)
NEAR EAST
• Mr. Talal Darwish (Lebanon)
• Mr. Ahmad S. Muhaimeed (Iraq)
• Mr. Saéb AbdelHaleem Khresat (Jordan)
SOUTH WEST PACIFIC
• Mr. Neil McKenzie (Australia)
• Mr. Siosiua Halavatau (Tonga)

3. 3
Land Resources Unit

4. To study soils you need to dig a pit:

6. Soils deliver multiple services (soil functions as identified in the
Soil Thematic Strategy COM(2006) 231):
1. Biomass production, including in agriculture and forestry;
2. Storing, filtering and transforming nutrients, substances and water;
3. Biodiversity pool, such as habitats, species and genes;
4. Physical and cultural environment for humans and human activities;
5. Source of raw materials;
6. Acting as carbon pool;
7. Archive of geological and archeological heritage.

7. 7

8. 5 December 2015

9. Summary of Status and Trends of Soil Threats by region

10. Global Soil Organic Carbon
Contact Details:
Roland Hiederer European Commission Joint Research Centre
Institute for Environment and Sustainability TP 261 21027
Ispra (VA) - Italy e-mail: roland.hiederer(at)jrc.ec.europa.eu

11. 11

12. 12
Distribution of Soil Organic Carbon in the
Northern Circumpolar Region
Carbon pools were estimated to be
191.29 Pg for the 0–30 cm depth,
495.80 Pg for the 0–100 cm depth,
and 1024.00 Pg for the 0–300 cm
depth. Carbon pools in layers
deeper than 300 cm were
estimated to be 407 Pg in yedoma
deposits and 241 Pg in deltaic
deposits. In total, the northern
permafrost region contains
approximately 1672 Pg of organic
carbon, of which approximately
1466 Pg, or 88%, occurs in
perennially frozen soils and
deposits. This 1672 Pg of organic
carbon would account for
approximately 50% of the
estimated global belowground
organic carbon pool.
Tarnocai, C., J. G. Canadell, E. A. G. Schuur, P. Kuhry, G. Mazhitova, and S. Zimov
(2009), Soil organic carbon pools in the northern circumpolar permafrost region,
Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 23, GB2023, doi:10.1029/2008GB003327.

13. Peatland and wetlands store the majority of
the global soil organic carbon
Global Peatland Initiative

14. Soil C Dynamics Need for soil monitoring
Source: R. Lal, 2008
A schematic of the soil C dynamics upon conversion from a natural to
agricultural ecosystem, and subsequent adoption of recommended
management practices (RMP’s). In most cases, the maximum potential
equals the magnitude of historic C loss. Only using some practices, like
addition of stable Biochar, or similar technologies, the adoption of RMP’s can
increase the SOC pool above that of the natural system.

15. 15
Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management
1. Minimize soil erosion
2. Enhance soil organic matter content
3. Foster soil nutrient balance and cycles
4. Prevent, minimize and mitigate soil salinization
5. Prevent and minimize soil contamination
6. Prevent and minimize soil acidification
7. Preserve and enhance soil biodiversity
8. Minimize soil sealing
9. Prevent and mitigate soil compaction
10.Improve soil water management

16. 16
SSM is associated with the following characteristics:
1. Minimal rates of soil erosion by water and wind;
2. The soil structure is not degraded (e.g. soil compaction) and provides a stable
physical context for movement of air, water, and heat, as well as root growth;
3. Sufficient surface cover (e.g. from growing plants, plant residues, etc.) is present
to protect the soil;
4. The store of soil organic matter is stable or increasing and ideally close to the
optimal level for the local environment;
5. Availability and flows of nutrients are appropriate to maintain or improve soil
fertility and productivity, and to reduce their losses to the environment;
6. Soil salinization, sodification and alkalinization are minimal;
7. Water (e.g. from precipitation and supplementary water sources such as
irrigation) is efficiently infiltrated and stored to meet the requirements of plants
and ensure the drainage of any excess;
8. Contaminants are below toxic levels, i.e. those which would cause harm to
plants, animals, humans and the environment;
9. Soil biodiversity provides a full range of biological functions;
10. The soil management systems for producing food, feed, fuel, timber, and fibre
rely on optimized and safe use of inputs; and
11. Soil sealing is minimized through responsible land use planning.

17. 17
Enhance soil organic matter content
 Increase biomass production by increasing water availability for plants, use cover
crops, balance fertilizer applications and effective use of organic amendments,
improve vegetative stands, promote agroforestry and alley cropping, and promote
reforestation and afforestation;
 Protect organic carbon-rich soils in peatlands, forests, pasturelands, etc;
 Increase organic matter content through practices such as: managing crop residues,
utilizing forage by grazing rather than harvesting, practicing integrated pest
management, applying animal manure or other carbon-rich wastes, using compost,
and applying mulches or providing the soil with a permanent cover;
 Fire should preferably be avoided. Where fire is integral to land management, the
timing and intensity of burning should aim to limit soil organic carbon losses;
 Make optimum use of all sources of organic inputs, such as animal manure and
properly processed human wastes;
 Management practices such as cover crops, improved fallow plant species, reduced-
or no-tillage practices, or live fences should be adopted to ensure the soil has a
sufficient organic cover;
 Decrease decomposition rates of soil organic matter by practicing minimum or no-
tillage; and
 Planting legumes or improving the crop mix.

18. 18
Conclusions and way forward
• Reverse the negative trend of continuing SOC depletion
• Fully implement the VGSSM at all levels
• Develop detailed manuals and technical materials for
supporting the VGSSM implementation process
• Establish appropriate training and capacity building
programs where needed
• Collect data and information for monitoring SOC in a
consistent manner:
Towards a new Global Soil Organic Carbon Map and
soil organic carbon monitoring, reporting and
verification system

19. Thank you for your interest!