EU Missions Soil Deal for Europe

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© European Union, 2023. Image - V. Smirnov Miotto/Shutterstock.com

What is the Mission Soil?

The EU Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ (Mission Soil) is one of five Missions funded under the EU Research and Innovation (R&I) Programme Horizon Europe. Its goal is to create 100 Living Labs and Lighthouses by 2030 to promote sustainable land and soil management in urban and rural areas.

Learn more about this Mission

Living Labs and Lighthouses 

Learn how Living Labs and Lighthouses can help to experiment and showcase good practices for sustainable land management. Work with researchers and land managers to find real-life solutions to societal challenges. 

Learn more about Living Labs

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© European Union, 2023. Image - Yuri A Miotto/Shutterstock.com
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Why is soil biodiversity important?

Delve into our latest video released for the annual World Biodiversity Day, on how initiatives led by Mission Soil are actively transforming the understanding around soil biodiversity into tangible results, ensuring healthier soils for a sustainable future.

Watch the video about soil biodiversity here

Latest news

Call for expert input on soil function models
The Mission Soil-funded project, BENCHMARKS, is inviting experts to contribute to the evaluation of four soil function models developed under the project. These models are based on the concept that soil functions result from bundles of soil processes that co-occur in time and space, and can be defined either by measuring process rates directly or by using proxy indicators.
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Mission Soil joins FAO for World Soil Day with two exciting contests
Celebrate World Soil Day 2025 with creativity and curiosity! Join two global contests organised by the Mission Soil and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to explore the hidden world beneath our cities and show why healthy soils mean healthy lives.
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Save the date: EU Agri-Food Days 2025
The EU Agri-Food Days return to Brussels for their third edition from 15 to 17 December 2025, bringing together stakeholders from across the European agri-food sector. This year’s discussions will focus on food security, resilience and innovation, exploring how the proposed CAP post-2027, strategic research and innovation, and digital transformation can strengthen Europe’s agricultural future. An exhibition will highlight EU-funded projects, data portals and funding opportunities. Online participation will also be possible via live web streaming – no registration needed.
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ICSD 2026 : 14th International Conference on Sustainable Development

The European Center of Sustainable Development (ECSDEV), in collaboration with CIT University, will host ICSD 2026 on 9–10 September 2026 at Roma Eventi – Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy. 

Under the theme “Creating a Unified…

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3rd European Carbon Farming Summit

The European Carbon Farming Summit, hosted by Project Credible, is rapidly emerging as a leading meeting point for scientists, policymakers, economic actors, and interested members of the carbon farming and soil management communities. The event aims…

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EU Agri-Food Days

Join us for the third edition of the EU Agri-Food Days, this three-day event will offer you the opportunity to network with EU agri-food stakeholders, farmers, civil society, academia and policymakers. Be at the heart of discussions about the latest…

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ECOMONDO 2025
Join the Green Transition at Ecomondo 2025 – Rimini, Italy

From 4 to 7 November 2025, the Rimini Expo Centre will once again host Ecomondo, the leading international event dedicated to the green and circular economy. This flagship fair brings together…

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The Soil Re-Union: Science for Healthy Soils

Join soil scientists, researchers, and practitioners from around the world at the Soil Re-Union, where interdisciplinary collaboration meets local inspiration. Organized by the Serbian Society of Soil Science in cooperation with the Institute of Field…

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Next Bite 2025
Join the biggest EIT Food event of the year

Join us at EIT Food’s largest event yet, Next Bite: Building the Future of Food Together. This unparalleled gathering brings together the gamechangers in food systems transformation and the world’s leading…

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Predicting the future of soil health with AI

 

The future of soil science

What role can AI play in assessing soil degradation, mapping vulnerabilities, and identifying the drivers of soil health decline? Can machine learning and process-based models provide reliable insights…

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ENSOr workshop: Managing Emerging Contaminants for healthy soils: Are we ready?!

EmConSoil, OVAM’s multi-stakeholder network on emerging soil contaminants, is excited to announce the upcoming 6th ENSOr workshop. 

The workshop will center around the evolving issue of emerging contaminants in soil and groundwater.…

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5th EUSO Stakeholders Forum - "Soil challenges and solutions in the Mediterranean"

The Mediterranean region faces urgent soil challenges that directly impact food security, ecosystems, and climate resilience. From erosion, salinization, and desertification to urbanization and land sealing, soil degradation threatens both livelihoods…

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EEA Carbon Farming Conference: Earth observation for monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon removals 2025

Join leading experts from science, policy, industry, and national inventories for EO 4 MRV 2025, the second Earth Observation conference co-hosted by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). This gathering will…

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Annual Science Days 2025

Join Europe’s top researchers, policymakers, funders and innovators at Annual Science Days 2025 (ASD25) — the flagship forum for soil science and sustainable agriculture. Hosted in Aarhus, Denmark, this two-day event will spotlight how healthy soils…

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Making Soil Science Stick: Communicating with Impact Across Audiences
Join the training session!

Join us for an interactive science communication training designed for CURIOSOIL’s Communities of Practice (CoPs). Discover how to make soil research exciting, accessible, and relevant to a wide range of audiences — from…

video
Meet the Mission Soil Ambassadors
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educational material
Mission Soil Panorama
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educational material
Test your knowledge! What do you know about soil?
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podcast
Mission Soil Podcast Series | Episode 3 – Exploring the Living Labs of Mission Soil: Insights from ICOSHELLs, LILAS4SOILS, and LivingSoiLL
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publication
Revisiting the soil carbon saturation concept to inform a risk index in European agricultural soils
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publication
The mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’: 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils
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document
Event report - European Mission Soil Week 2024
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video
European Mission Soil Week 2024 - recap event
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podcast
Mission Soil Podcast Series | Episode 2 - Discover some of the EU Mission Soil funded projects: interview with BIOservicES, HuMUS and PREPSOIL
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publication
Social sciences, humanities, and the arts in the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”
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publication
SOILL - Catalogue 2024 - Mission Soil Living Labs and Lighthouses
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video
Meet the Mission Soil Board
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podcast
Mission Soil Podcast Series | Episode 1 - Leading the transition towards healthy soils: a closer look at the EU Mission Soil
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paper
Tracking Soil Health: Monitoring and Modeling the Soil-Plant System
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educational material
Let’s play! Apple soil game
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publication
Discussion paper - Incentivising the transition to soil health, regenerative farming practices
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paper
How the EU Soil Observatory is providing solid science for healthy soils
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factsheet
Guidelines for living labs proposals
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video
International Day for Biological Diversity
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paper
A unifying modelling of multiple land degradation pathways in Europe
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publication
EUSO annual bulletin 2023
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publication
Mission Soil Board’s set of recommendations for the establishment of national Mirror Groups
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document
Event report - European Mission Soil Week 2023
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video
European Mission Soil Week 2023 - post event video
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paper
A 1 billion euro mission: A Soil Deal for Europe
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paper
Using the right words or using the words right? Re-conceptualising living labs for systemic innovation in socio-ecological systems
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factsheet
Factsheet - Mission Soil Manifesto: A growing community of Soil Friends and Signatories
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document
Report from the Commission on Summary of CAP Strategic Plans for 2023-2027: joint effort and collective ambition
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video
European Mission Soil Week 2023
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document
Event Catalogue - European Mission Soil Week 2023
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