Policy implications of multiple concurrent soil erosion processes in European farmland

Soil erosion is a serious threat to soil functions leading to land productivity decline and multiple off-site effects. Here we show, using a multi-model approach, the spatial risk of soil erosion by water, wind, tillage and harvesting and where the co-occurrence of these different processes is observed. Moreover, we analysed where these locations of multiple erosion co-occurrence are likely to intersect with the projected increase of dry/wet climate conditions. Of the ~110 million hectares (M ha) of arable land in the European Union, our estimates show that 43 M ha are vulnerable to a single driver of erosion, 15.6 M ha to two drivers and 0.81 M ha to three or more drivers. About 3.2 M ha of arable land are vulnerable to the possible interaction of increased flood, drought, water and wind erosion. We contend that this set of predictions serves as a basis for developing an efficient stratified monitoring network and informing targeted mitigation strategies under the Common Agricultural Policy 2023–2027. The road to the sustainable, carbon-neutral and biodiversity-friendly system of agriculture advocated for in the EU Green Deal goes through a thematic strategy for soil protection from multiple concurrent erosion processes.

BORRELLI Pasquale;  PANAGOS Panagiotis;  ALEWELL Christine;  BALLABIO Cristiano;  FANGUDES Hugo De Oliveira;  HAREGEWEYN Nigussie;  LUGATO Emanuele;  MAERKER Michael;  POESEN Jean;  VANMAERCKE Matthias;  ROBINSON David; 

2023-01-30

NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

JRC128175

2398-9629 (online),   

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-022-00988-4,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC128175,   

10.1038/s41893-022-00988-4 (online),