The EU Council's New Directive Calls on EU Member States to Monitor and Report Soil Health
In the last week of September, the EU Council formally adopted the soil monitoring directive, establishing the first EU-wide framework for assessing and monitoring soils, with the goal of achieving healthy soils across Europe by 2050. This milestone is a major step toward more resilient soils, which are essential for food security, clean water, biodiversity, and climate adaptation.
The directive requires member states to set up monitoring systems to track the physical, chemical, and biological condition of soils, using a common EU methodology. It introduces measures to reduce soil sealing and topsoil loss, manage contaminated sites, and monitor emerging pollutants like PFAS, pesticides, and microplastics. Common soil descriptors and health classes will guide national priorities and actions, supported by EU-level tools, methodologies, and knowledge exchange.
For projects like SPADES, which aim to integrate soil health into spatial planning and urban design, this new framework provides a strong regulatory backbone. By combining tools like SPADES Navigator, SPADES Diagnosis Workbook and Evaluation Framework for Soil Inclusive Instruments and Practices with EU monitoring efforts, cities and regions can better assess soil conditions, plan resilient interventions and support healthier landscapes, – for people and nature alike.
Over 60% of European soils are currently classified as unhealthy, making initiatives like SPADES more urgent than ever. Following the EU Council’s adoption of the directive, the European Parliament is expected to endorse it, with plenary voting to follow the ENVI Committee vote on 20 October. Even before this step, it is clear that cities must begin treating soil as a fundamental pillar of land use and urban planning.
With coordinated action, monitoring, and innovation, we can restore soils and ensure sustainable land use across Europe.
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