Over the past decade, soil organic carbon has gained unprecedented prominence in international and European policy, from the launch of the “4 per 1000” Initiative to the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Certification Framework, Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive and Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”.
This session will address three complementary questions. First, what has actually changed? Contributions are invited to assess the effects of these initiatives on research agendas, stakeholder involvement, monitoring systems and land-management practices.
Second, what knowledge is now needed for credible public action? Contributions could examine how scientific knowledge on soil carbon can inform policy design, target-setting, implementation and evaluation, while considering trade-offs with other soil-health objectives.
Third, how can this knowledge become effectively usable? The session will welcome analyses of how evidence has been mobilized in the design and implementation of soil and climate policies, which institutional and collective arrangements have facilitated—or hindered—its use, and what lessons have been learnt.