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

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 2

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

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 3

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

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 4

The STS is addressing human induced soil degradation processes

OZ vom 11.04.1997

Water erosion Soil sealing

Wind erosion

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 5

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

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 6

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

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 7

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

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 8

Landslides

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 9

http://eusoils.jrc.it

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 10

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

Mitigation and Monitoring of Geological Hazards, Catania, 28/9/2007 11