Healthy soils are crucial for sustainable food production, achieving climate neutrality, and preserving biodiversity. The European Commission highlighted these aspects by launching the EU Soil Observatory (EUSO) in 2021 to support the European Green Deal. The EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and the proposed Soil Monitoring Law marked significant steps in soil protection. The EUSO aids in EU-wide soil monitoring and provides policy support across various areas. It tracks soil health via the EUSO Soil Health Dashboard, identifying regions at risk of soil degradation. Additionally, the EUSO promotes soil research, enhances the European Soil Data Centre, and encourages citizen engagement. Since its inception, EUSO has become a key knowledge hub for soil data, supporting EU policy and will continue to do so in the coming years.
The paper is available on the European Journal of Soil Science website.