Healthy Soils, Sustainable Future: A Citizen Focused Dialogue

Between September 2023 and April 2024, we conducted group discussions on climate issues with 160 citizens from all over Europe to discuss about their views on 4 EU Missions, namely on:

• Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities
• Adaptation to Climate Change
• A Soil Deal for Europe
• Restore our Ocean and Waters

The third part of this series: “Healthy Soils, Sustainable Future: A Citizen Focused Dialogue”, is inspired by the EU mission A Soil Deal for Europe, which aims to establish 100 living labs and lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030.

The discussion explores the critical role of soil ecosystems in enhancing biodiversity and driving sustainability across Europe. It delves into innovative strategies that soil communities, such as farmers and wine makers, can adopt to tackle soil pollution, restore degraded lands, and ensure long-term resilience. This is an opportunity to uncover the hidden potential of soil biodiversity, understand the challenges and opportunities in reducing pollution, and highlight the importance of raising soil literacy. By empowering citizens to advocate for healthy soils and promoting sustainable practices, we can build a future where thriving soil ecosystems support both nature and communities.

Joining us in the discussion:

• Ion Codescu, Head of Unit, Land Use & Management (DG ENV) – European Commission
• Anna Jørgensen, General Manager of Cortes de Cima and EYL40
• Gregorio Vichi, Citizen, Debating Europe’s Community
• Niilo Syväoja, Citizen, Debating Europe’s Community
• Moderator: Alessandra Cardaci, Debating Europe

About the SSH Centre project:

The SSH CENTRE project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101069529 and from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee [grant No 10038991].