Soil
Overview 
Despite the increasing soil degradation and its negative consequences on human health, natural ecosystems and climate change, as well as on european economies, only 9 Member states have specific legislation on soil protection (especially on contamination).
At the EU level, there are different policies (on water, waste, chemicals, industrial pollution prevention, nature protection, pesticides, agriculture) are contributing to soil protection. The most significant initiative at EU level is the Soil Thematic Strategy (COM(2006) 231) and proposal for a Soil Framework Directive (COM(2006) 232) adopted by the Commission on 22 September 2006 with the objective to protect soils across the EU. Submited to the Council on december 2007, the Member states however failed to adopt the directive.
The major threats to soil, as identified in the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection, include: erosion, decline of organic matter, compaction, salinisation, landslides, sealing, contamination, and loss of soil biodiversity.
More recently, the importance of soil is being recognised more and more in various ways.
In 2009, the EC published the report "Review of existing information on the interrelations between soil and climate change" underlying the crucial role that soils can play in mitigating climate change.In the report, the importance of healthy soil and good management practices is outlined, give that soil is a large natural carbon reservoir and thus can play an important role in climate change mitigation.
In 2010, the EC also published 'Soil biodiversity: functions, threats and tools for policy makers'. The report discusses the state of knowledge of soil biodiversity, its functions, its contribution to ecosystem services and its relevance for the sustainability of human society.