The Earth Will Give Back

How important soil is for our life. Soil is not just dirt; even a single small pile of soil can host millions of organisms (bacteria, fungi, small animals, plant seeds…). More than half of all the species on the planet are contained in soils. The mix of minerals, microorganisms, natural waste (and their interaction) creates the organic matter that allows life to develop.

The fertile layer is the factory of life on Earth. Many soils, due to excessive agricultural practices, are losing their ability to produce food, because they lose organic materials and require increasingly greater inputs of other products in order to become fertile again. In Europe, around 60% of soil is affected. Today, sustainable agriculture speaks precisely of “restoration”.

In addition to degradation there is also erosion (in Europe it removes 1 billion tonnes of soil per year), thus lowering the level of organic carbon retained in agricultural soils because of careless practices with respect to greenhouse gases. Faced with those who look at these data and arguments with annoyance, I cite two recent pieces of news.

1. On 29 September 2025, the Council of the European Union approved the directive on monitoring the “health” of soils. Soils are undergoing not only severe erosion, but also the progressive degradation of cultivated ones. Fertile soils are reduced by excessive intensive agricultural techniques (such as synthetic chemical substances: fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides), exaggerated mechanical processing, and the consequences of climate change. Healthy soil, maintained in conditions of natural balance, is essential for agriculture, for the ecosystem as a whole, for the characteristic features of local territories, for the beauty of landscapes, for the safety and sustainability of human life, and for that of future generations. The biodiversity of healthy soils contributes to the resilience of plants, including cultivated ones. Europe writes: «Ours must be the first generation that leaves natural systems and biodiversity in a better state than the one it inherited».

2. On 28 August 2025 the Ministry of the Environment published the Report of the Committee for Natural Capital with the contribution also of associations, environmentalists and experts from different disciplines and fields of knowledge. First of all, “Natural Capital” is defined as follows: «it consists of the entire range of natural goods, environmental assets and productive resources – including living organisms, air, water, soil and geological resources – which together contribute to providing goods and services of value, direct or indirect, for humans and their activities, and as such are considered necessary for the survival of the very environment from which they are generated». It then indicates the areas of our country that are in the most serious and alarming conditions of degradation and environmental crisis. Of the 58 ecosystems surveyed that are considered at risk, 7 are in very critical conditions, 22 are in danger and 29 are considered vulnerable; 18 are expected to be put at risk in the future; only 4 in the whole peninsula for now do not run assessable risks of being threatened, while only 5 are not considered exposed to foreseeable risk even for the near future. In extreme synthesis, about 47% of Italian soils are considered “sick”, erosion affects 80% of cultivated areas. To this must be added the issue of land consumption in our country, with the loss of about 19 hectares per day. It is also necessary to prevent the adverse effects of extreme climatic events, floods and periods of drought. The European Commission calculates the positive economic balance that the restoration of nature in areas degraded by human activities would generate. It is a considerable gain, with a multiplier estimated in economic terms «from 4 to 38 euros of value increase for every euro spent». Therefore, an innovative and very profitable investment, for the present and the future. Policies that can also offer us a concrete and lasting remedy in economic terms for the lives of future generations as well. But will it be a commitment of the government? The previous directive on water has been applied only partially. In Italy, 30% of surface waters and 27% of groundwater will not reach the quality objectives required by Directive 2000/60 by the 2027 deadline. Let us not be discouraged, however. It is not intelligent to always postpone choices that would be better to face, and governments often do so. Good news, in order to become reality, needs our permanent attention!

Carlo Degiacomi
NP November 2025