Translating Soil Science Knowledge to Public Policy

Abstract

A lot of scientific knowledge is available on soils in Europe and in the world. Yet, only a fraction of this knowledge reaches policy makers and is actually used in the national and global soil policy development processes. Despite the plethora of soil data and information generated by the soil science community, only a fraction of this information is actually policy relevant. Soil information, in order to be policy relevant, needs to respond to societal needs and address issues of relevance to the general public. Too often soil data and information generated by scientists are only relevant to a very small scientific community and not of relevance to the public policy development process. The establishment of an effective science-policy interface, the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS), and the results of the first comprehensive assessment of global soil resources, the Status of World’s Soil Resources report, provide the first steps toward a more effective global soil policy for protecting this limited, nonrenewable, natural resource.