Climate & Environment
Soil Degradation
The decline of soil's capacity to support plants, animals and people — through erosion, compaction, salinisation, contamination and carbon loss.
Definition
Soil degradation is the decline in soil quality and function caused by human activity: erosion, loss of organic matter, compaction, salinisation, nutrient depletion, acidification, contamination and sealing. The FAO estimates that around a third of the world's soils are already degraded, with severe consequences for food production, water cycling and carbon storage; degradation is central to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification's land degradation neutrality target (SDG 15.3).
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