The British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) were pleased to host a parliamentary roundtable in Westminster on the long-term protection of soils in the United Kingdom.
Chaired by BSSS President, Prof. Paul Hallett, the roundtable welcomed several high-profile contributors including Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE FREng FRS, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, The Rt Hon Toby Perkins MP and The Honourable Dr Penny Wensley AC. Also in attendance were leading experts from partner organisations including: Natural England, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Teagasc, Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), Cranfield University, ADAS, and the University of Greenwich.
Soil underpins food security, climate resilience, water management and sustainable development, yet they lack a coherent statutory framework to ensure their long-term protection, monitoring and accountability. This roundtable explored the case for statutory protection for soils, how existing policy can be built upon, and how international approaches can inform a practical, nationally consistent framework.
The session covered the following topics and discussions:
- The Current Policy Landscape: Gaps in Soil Protection and Governance
- Soil Data and Monitoring: The Evidence Base and Key Gaps
- International Perspectives: Australia’s Approach to Soil Protection
- International perspectives: EU Soil Monitoring Law
Rt Hon. Toby Perkins MP
The roundtable fostered discussions and presentations of the current policy landscape as well as the data and science around soil monitoring; highlighting why BSSS wants to push for further legislation and action in this area. We also brought in perspectives from the UK and internationally, specifically referencing the Soil Strategy in Australia and the EU Soil Monitoring Law.
The key messages from the roundtable were as follows:
- Soil security is national security: Healthy soils underpin domestic food production, climate resilience and water security, reducing vulnerability to international supply-chain disruption, rising food prices, drought and flooding.
- We need a clearer picture of the condition of soils: Existing surveys and data initiatives provide valuable evidence, but gaps in coverage, consistency and regular monitoring limit our ability to track degradation, assess future risks and target interventions effectively.
- Existing policies do not provide sufficient long-term protection: While soils are addressed through agricultural schemes, planning policy and environmental initiatives, a coherent statutory framework could establish clear responsibilities, minimum standards, monitoring requirements and accountability for protecting soils over time.
- Soil protection must be practical, evidence-led and suited to diverse soils: Lessons from the EU’s soil monitoring legislation and Australia’s national soil strategy can help inform an approach that builds on existing initiatives, coordinates responsibilities and supports land managers, while recognising the need for locally appropriate solutions.
- Protecting Soils in Law: Soils should benefit from legal protection comparable to that afforded to water and air, supported by a statutory framework that ensures their long-term protection, monitoring and accountability. This would provide a stronger foundation for sustainable farming, food security, climate resilience and responsible land-use decisions.
To read more about the state of UK soil science, click here.
We were delighted to host such a high profile event with key organisations and notable contributors from across the UK political spectrum. We look forward to sharing further details from the roundtable and building on the progress we are making in this area. This key event for BSSS underscores our ongoing commitment to advocating for soil health and sustainable land management on a domestic and global scale.
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
The roundtable attendees included:
- Julia King – Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Climate Change Committee Chair, Crossbench Member of The House of Lords
- Natalie Bennett – Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, Green Party Member of The House of Lords
- Toby Perkins MP – Member of Parliament for Chesterfield and Environmental Audit Committee Chair
- Dr Penny Wensley AC – Former Governor of Queensland, National Soils Advocate Australia
- Dr Karen Daly – Principal Research Officer, Teagasc (and EU Soil Monitoring Law implementation, Ireland)
- Dr Irene Heuser – Chair of the Soil and Sustainable Agriculture Law Specialist Group of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law
- Dr David Smedley – Head of Soil and Peatland Science, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
- Professor Sallie Bailey – Chief Scientist, Natural England
- Natalie Prosser – CEO, Office for Environmental Protection
- Martin Lines – CEO, Nature Friendly Farming Network
- Professor Paul Hallett – BSSS President and Chair in Soil Physics, University of Aberdeen (Chair)
- Professor Jack Hannam – BSSS Past President and Head of Agriculture, Health and Environment Department, University of Greenwich
- Dr Lizzie Sagoo – BSSS President Elect and Director, ADAS
- Dr Daniel Evans – Senior Lecturer in Soil Science, Cranfield University
- Andy Morris – BSSS Executive Director, UNCCD WEOG CSO Panel Representative
- Ed Hinman, BSSS Policy & Public Affairs Manager (Secretariat)
The British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) is an established international membership organisation committed to the study of soil in its widest aspects. The society brings together those working within academia, practitioners implementing soil science in industry and all those working with, or with an interest in soils.
For press enquiries, contact Ed Hinman at e.hinman@soils.org.uk
