Dear Ronald and Dan
We thank you for giving us the opportunity to comment the zero draft of the VGSSM. We are aware that our task was quite easy, as we don’t have to develop a new document/note but just to comment on what was already done. Some of our suggestions are directly included in the document, some more global comments are here below.
We thank you for the work you accomplished so far and we’re looking forward to contributing to the next version.
For the Swiss team, Elena
Does the zero draft sufficiently outline a way to achieve sustainable soil management worldwide?
This document is mainly/only focused on agricultural use of soils and in that, it is not sufficient for the SSM worldwide. Forest and organic soils should be added (at least, based on our perception, probably soil scientists from other regions may have another point of view)
Have all the key technical elements to achieve sustainable soil management been included in the guidelines?
For agricultural soils: probably the main elements are included. We added some other possible elements (e.g. hedgerows for soil biodiversity).
Do the guidelines take into account the great variety of ecosystem services provided by soils?
Globally yes. Some services such as flood mitigation, drinkable water purification (forest soils) could be more prominent. It would allow promoting the multifunctionnality of soils (e.g. healthy agricultural soils not only provide food but also flood security)
Will the results of the guidelines, once implemented be sufficient enough to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
The target 15.3 (restore degraded soils) is not sufficiently taken into account. The current guidelines seem to be mainly focused on goal 12 (food security).
Do the guidelines identify activities that should be avoided to achieve multiple benefits through sustainable soil management?
No
- Sometimes the guidelines are drafted as goal (Plant growth on the field should produce enough growing plants and plant residues for a sufficient cover to exist) while others are meant as measure (Sufficient crop and other organic residues must be left on the field and not removed for other purposes)
- The level of the guidelines (“flight altitude”) is very diverse. Some have a very high policy relevance (Governments and policy makers need to review and adapt existing policies for development of settlements and infrastructure to take account of the value of soils, particularly where subsidies or other incentives are driving unplanned land take and soil. Wherever possible, preservation of productive agricultural land should be a priority), other are very concrete, at user’s level (When mechanized tillage is used for field operations, the implements used must leave a proportion of the plant residues on the soil surface).
Dr Elena Havlicek
Scientific Officer
Federal Office for the Environement FOEN
Soil and Biotechnology Division
Worblentalstrasse 68, 3063 Ittigen
Postal address : CH-3003 Bern
Elena Havlicek