Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 1
The EU Soil Thematic Strategy
Luca Montanarella
EUROPEAN COMMISSIONJOINT RESEARCH CENTRE
Institute for Environment and SustainabilityTP 280
I-21020 Ispra (VA)Italy
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EU Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection adopted by the European Commission on the 22nd of September 2006
• COMMUNICATION COM(2006) 231 on the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection• DIRECTIVE COM(2006) 232 establishing a framework for the protection of soil and
amending Directive 2004/35/EC• IMPACT ASSESSMENT SEC(2006) 620 of the Thematic Strategy for Soil
Protection
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/index.htm
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2006 2008 2010 2015 2017 2018
Implementation of Programmes of Measures
and National Remediation Strategies
Adoption
by the Commission
Adoption by the Council
and the Parliament
Transposition
in Member States
ADOPTION of • Programmes
of Measures • National
Remediation Strategies
• Identification
of risk areas • Preliminary
identification of contaminated sites
• Entire inventory to finish in 2035
APPLICATION of • programmes of
Measures • National
Remediation Strategies
Tentative Timetable of the Soil Thematic Strategy
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The STS is addressing human induced soil degradation processes
OZ vom 11.04.1997
Water erosion Soil sealing
Wind erosion
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The impact of human activities on soil
Blocking of soil functions important to the ecology of the landscape
Destruction of soil
Gradual destruction of soils
Reduction in soil fertility
Soil erosion
Manures and fertilisers
Sewage sludge
Gravel extraction
CompactionGradual disappearance of farms
Pesticides & herbicides
Destruction of soilChanges in the structure of soils
Reduction in soil fertility
SealingDistruction of
humus
Accumulation/Contamination
Heavy metals
Contamination of soils and ground water with applied agrochemicals and atmospheric pollutants
Changes in soil composition
Adverse impacts on living organisms in the soil
Acidification
Release of toxic substances
AcidsDiffuse input of contaminants as
particulates
Persistent substances
Salinisation
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Threats to soil as identified in COM(2002) 179
• Erosion• Decline in organic matter • Soil contamination• Soil sealing• Soil compaction• Decline in soil biodiversity• Salinisation• Floods and landslides
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Erosion, organic matter decline, salinisation, compaction and landslides
Member States establish
RISK ACCEPTABILITY
Risk Area IDENTIFICATION
Member States adopt MEASURES to achieve target
Member States establish a TARGET for Risk Area
COMMON CRITERIA set in Directive
REPORT to Commission
Model or empirical
MONITORING
Framework legislation
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Landslides
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http://eusoils.jrc.it
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SECTION 5COMMON ELEMENTS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS AT
RISK OF LANDSLIDES
Soil typological unit (STU) (soil type)
Occurrence/density of existing landslides
Bedrock
Topography
Land cover
Land use (including land management, farming systems and forestry)
Climate
Seismic risk
Criteria proposed in annex I of Soil Framework Directive
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