Status of the World’s Soil Resources report released by FAO

The first edition of the Status of the Word’s Soil Resources (SWSR) report launched on December 2015 at FAO Headquarters in Rome during the World Soil Day celebration, establishing the global baseline in 2015. This was considered the first comprehensive and scientifically based global assessment of soil resources with more than 200 scientists contributing. The reports identified 10 soil threats, including soil erosion, loss of soil organic carbon, acidification, soil contamination, soil compaction, and loss of soil biodiversity.

On Aug. 27, 2026, a second edition was released in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia during the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 17). This edition follows up on the first report, outlining how soil conditions and the major threats to soil have evolved from 2015 to 2025. The report identifies five broad priorities, including:

1. strengthening soil governance and legal framework; 

2. expanding education, capacity-building, and knowledge exchange; 

3. improving soil monitoring and harmonizing data; 

4. creating incentives for sustainable soil management; and

5. strengthening inclusive, multidisciplinary decision-making.

David Lobb, as a member of the FAO Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS), and other members of the Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS) and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) contributed to writing the second edition of SWSR. A follow-up meeting is planned between CSSS and SSSA members to discuss the report and the associated press release to develop a communication strategy.