Soil conservation in Europe

Soil conservation in Europe started to gain political attention during the late 1990s, when the German government initiated a Europe-wide debate on the need for a common approach. The initiative, known as the 'European Soil Forum', triggered a wide-ranging discussion at the European Union and national level in various European countries. During that debate, it became rapidly obvious that soil conservation was a complex issue, particularly in Europe, where long historical development has had a deep impact on European soil resources. European soils are the result of centuries of human interaction. They have been mostly shaped by the development of the various agricultural practices that have been adopted in Europe, starting with the first agricultural revolution of the Neolithic era. In Europe, there is very little soil left that may be considered as 'natural'. First agricultural, and later industrial, activities have had a large impact on the soils of the various landscapes of Europe. This chapter discusses how Europe has translated social licence through institutions and laws to achieve soil conservation outcomes. We focus on the success of the EC Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and recent case studies in the European Union (EU) on sustainable agriculture and soil conservation. This discussion provides insights into future directions in Europe for the social licence to farm.