International Network on Soil Pollution (INSOP)

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The International Network on Soil Pollution (INSOP) is committed to tackling soil pollution worldwide and achieving the global goal of Zero Pollution.

INSOP brings together experts, communities, and organizations to advance knowledge on the entire cycle of soil pollution, from assessment and monitoring to mitigation and remediation. 

Functions, duties and more

The network focuses on empowering local communities, women, and Indigenous Peoples to promote sustainable soil management using nature-based Solutions to prevent, mitigate and remediate polluted soils. INSOP works to integrate soil pollution targets and indicators into national reporting mechanisms, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and collaborating with UN agencies under the One Health approach.

INSOP strives to reduce soil pollution risks and support effective remediation efforts by:

Advancing knowledge and innovation – Facilitating the exchange of scientific research, good practices, and innovative solutions through workshops, seminars, and collaborative projects.
Enhancing global collaboration – Bringing together a diverse community of 1, 3200 members from 130 countries, INSOP fosters interdisciplinary partnerships among governments, academia, the private sector, and civil society to develop cleaner and more sustainable solutions for pollution prevention and remediation.
Strengthening technical capacities – Developing and delivering trainings on soil pollution identification, risk mitigation, and contaminant reduction strategies, equipping stakeholders with the tools and knowledge needed to monitor, assess, and restore polluted soils effectively.
Promoting policy integration – Supporting the inclusion of soil pollution targets and indicators in national and international frameworks by working closely with UN organizations under the One Health approach (FAO One Health), ensuring soil protection remains a key priority in environmental and public health strategies.

INSOP welcomes representatives from governments, academia, the private sector, NGOs, and any other stakeholders from around the world who share the vision of a world with Zero Pollution and healthy soils.

Please complete this form to join the network. INSOP's membership is free of charge and its success is based on the active and voluntary participation of each and every one of its members.

Role	Name
INSOP Chair	Ravi Naidu
INSOP Vice-Chair	Deyi Hou
INSOP Coordinator	Natalia Rodriguez Eugenio
Assessment Working Group	Helen Karasali
Monitoring Working Group	TBD
Remediation Working Group	Scott D. Warner and Fang Wang
Food Safety Working Group	David O'Connor

Contact us

Natalia Rodriguez

GSP Secretariat

Join the INSOP network

Working groups

	Assessment
PRIORITY 1	Advocate for the development of global harmonized methods, including standard operating procedures (SOPs) to identify and measure soil pollutants
OUTCOME	Soil laboratories are well-informed about the harmonized SOPs for soil pollutants and their usage
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS	LONG TERM By 2025, 80 percent of soil laboratories working with the GSP will be aware of how to use the harmonized SOPs for measuring soil pollutants in the laboratory SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM At least one soil laboratory working with the GSP from each region is involved in the development of harmonized SOP
KEY ACTIVITIES	Liaise and work in partnership with the GLOSOLAN; Analyze the available protocols for soil pollutants; Develop SOPs for pollutants of concern (bioavailable heavy metals, obsolete pesticides, HHPs); Facilitate cooperation among soil laboratories through trainings, webinars and workshops.
PRIORITY 2	Advocate for creating a global database on soil pollutant threshold values in agricultural soils and other land uses focusing on heavy metals and pesticides
OUTCOME	Foster understanding of soil pollutant thresholds worldwide; Countries make informed decisions based on available data
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS	LONG TERM Number of countries working towards adoption of threshold values SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM At least 50% of countries involved in discussions on threshold values
KEY ACTIVITIES	Launch survey among INSOP members and GSP focal points; Analyze and interpret data for global threshold database; Develop and disseminate INSOP threshold database to policymakers and stakeholders.

Mapping

The generation of a spatial datasets on the distribution of polluted soils and potential sources of pollution is of utmost importance in informed decision making. This area of work is carried out in close consultation with the International Network of Soil Information Institution (INSII).

SCOPE

The overall objective of the 'Working Group (WG) 2: Mapping' is the identification of potential sources of pollution. This is of utmost importance in informed decision-making, so that pollution "hot spots" or areas of special concern due to the risk to human health and the environment can be easily identified. The overall goal is the generation of a spatial datasets on the distribution of polluted soils and potential sources of pollution.

Collaboration with the INSII and its members will focus on a better understanding of the coexistence of contaminants and facilitate the management of sites with mixed contamination.

Read more here ❯

	Monitoring and regulation of polluted soils
PRIORITY 1	Advocate for a better understanding of national legal instruments on the prevention, monitoring and/or remediation of soil pollution
OUTCOME	A global INSOP database is developed and utilized by the countries to learn about the existing legal instruments of soil pollution prevention, monitoring and/or remediation
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS	LONG TERM Proposal of an international instrument that positions soil pollution as a major global challenge and monitors its impacts SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM Number of countries advocating for the development of soil pollution legal instrument
KEY ACTIVITIES	In support of SoiLEX, INSOP members help to analyze national soil legislation and identify minimum principles for addressing soil pollution; In support of SoiLEX, INSOP members prepare a policy brief on the current legislation and existing gaps in monitoring soil pollution; Assist countries willing to develop soil pollution policies; In partnership with INSOILFER, spread awareness and identify countries willing to monitor the concentration of heavy metals on fertilizer labels; and In support of SoiLEX, launch a series of webinars aiming to explain soil pollution legal instruments currently in place.

	Sustainable management and remediation of polluted soils
PRIORITY 1	Advocate for the development of national capacities and strengthen technology transfer for remediation and sustainable management of polluted soils
OUTCOME	INSOP remediation database is widely recognized; and Sustainable practices are disseminated among countries for remediating polluted soil, maximizing environmental, social, and economic benefits.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS	LONG TERM An international database of sustainable soil pollution remediation practices is available for global use SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM At least 60 percent of countries are represented through case studies in the global database
KEY ACTIVITIES	Agree on the definition of what is sustainable remediation and develop criteria to assess remediation technologies; Develop the remediation action plan checklist; Launch a survey among INSOP members and GSP focal points to identify successful case studies and barriers in using sustainable remediation technologies; and INSOP members contribute to the development of a global database for the sustainable remediation of polluted soils to assess remediation technologies.

	Agricultural practice and food quality
PRIORITY 1	Advocate for the promotion of soil pollution to be included in the One Health approach and the Global Health Observatory
OUTCOME	Increased dedication and global awareness in including soil pollution indicators in the Global Health Observatory
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS	LONG TERM By 2027, new soil pollution indicators will be proposed to the Global Health Observatory SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM At least 60 percent of INSOP members are involved in the analysis of soil indicators
KEY ACTIVITIES	Develop indicators and guidelines for assessing the risks of soil pollution to food safety and human health; Initiate contact between FAO and WHO to better understand health data on soil and food contamination via knowledge exchange dialogue; INSOP members help to collect and analyze health data related to soil and food contamination, promoting the One Health approach; Advocate for social media campaigns emphasizing the relationship between soil pollution and the One Health approach; and Advocate for the inclusion of soil pollution indicators in the Global Health Observatory under the Environment and Health theme based on analyzed health data.
PRIORITY 2	Support the inclusion of soil pollution risk assessment and minimization measures in the Global Soil Doctors Programme in supporting land users to avoid soil pollution
OUTCOME	Farmers are aware of soil pollution risk to food produce and minimize the impact using the Global Soil Doctors Programme
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS	LONG TERM By 2027, farmers’ communities in at least 6 developing countries will be utilizing the provided training and exercises to prevent soil pollution (depending on funding) SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM By 2025, farmers’ communities in at least 3 developing countries will be utilizing the provided training and exercises to prevent soil pollution
KEY ACTIVITIES	Soil Doctors’ posters on what is soil pollution revised and approved for training purposes; Soil Doctors’ field exercises on identifying soil pollution revised and approved for training purposes; Tailored modules and exercises for soil pollution prevention and adoption are developed to meet specific community needs for training purposes; and Advocate for involving farmers’ associations in knowledge exchange dialogue on pollution prevention and best practices of sustainable soil management through workshops and social media campaigns

Soil and water pollution

Most contaminants in aquatic ecosystems come from anthropogenic land-based sources. Therefore, soil management can have an enormous impact on water quality, including pollution.

Contaminants of concern such as plastic pollution of which 80% entering the ocean has a land origin, eutrophication and other land-based contaminants reaching the fresh and marine environments will be discussed and knowledge gaps addressed.

SCOPE

The overall objective of the 'Working Group (WG) 6: Soil and water' is to raise awareness on the effects different contaminants of terrestrial origin could have on marine and aquatic ecosystems.

In collaboration with the assessment WG, the WG will create a knowledge exchange platform on the environmental and associated ecotoxicological risks on soil and water pollution.

Documents

TOR for the INSOP chair and vice-chair TOR for the INSOP working groups' leaders

Events

Global Symposium on Soil Pollution | GSOP18

02/05/2018 - 04/05/2018

Background information Across the globe soil pollution resulting also from anthropogenic activities has become a widespread problem with direct impact...

Related activities

Plan of Action GSOP18 - Symposium Outcome document

The recommendations presented in the document support policies and actions that enhance the prevention, minimization and remediation of soil pollution through sustainable soil management.

Capacity development

In collaboration with the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) and the International Network on Soil Pollution (INSOP) experts, the GSP has developed comprehensive theoretical courses to establish a strong foundation in soil pollution assessment protocols.

Explore the trainings

Soil Pollution, a hidden reality

02/05/2018

How can you be the solution to soil pollution

04/12/2018

7 Things You Can Do to Stop Soil Pollution

02/06/2021

INSOP Publications

Soil pollution: a hidden reality

2018

This document presents key messages and the state-of-the-art of soil pollution, its implications on food safety and human health..

Outcome document: Be the solution to soil pollution

2018

The Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18) was jointly organized by the:

Global assessment of soil pollution. Summary for policymakers

2021

Soil pollution is invisible to the human eye, but it compromises the quality of the food we eat, the water we drink. and the air we breathe and puts...

Global Assessment of Soil Pollution: Main report

2021

Soil pollution is invisible to the human eye, but it compromises the quality of the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe and puts...

Publications

Outcome document: Be the solution to soil pollution

12/10/2018

The Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18) was jointly organized by the:

Proceedings of the GSOP18

12/10/2018

The proceedings book of the Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18) contains all papers presented both orally and in poster format during the symposium..

Global assessment of soil pollution. Summary for policymakers

02/06/2021

Soil pollution is invisible to the human eye, but it compromises the quality of the food we eat, the water we drink. and the air we breathe and puts human and environmental health at risk..

Global Assessment of Soil Pollution: Main report

04/06/2021

Soil pollution is invisible to the human eye, but it compromises the quality of the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe and puts human and environmental health at risk..

Communication material

Soil pollution - Be the solution to soil pollution: Campaign material (World Soil Day 2018 and Global Symposium on Soil Pollution)

Be the solution to soil pollution

Over thousands of years of human activities have left a legacy of polluted soils worldwide.

French | Spanish

Other languages: Italian

	Soil pollution and phytoremediation Some plants can uptake, remove and stabilize contaminants from the soil, through different mechanisms.
	Impacts of soil pollution on key soil functions Soil pollution causes a chain of degradation processes in soil, jeopardizing its ability to provide ecosystem services.
	Pollution-induced changes in the functioning of soil ecosystems Mobile soil fauna often uses an avoidance strategy, reducing the first steps of litter decomposition in heavily polluted soils.
	Economic losses due to soil pollution Soil pollution entails direct remediation and management costs ranging from thousands to billions of dollars per year, depending on the extent and type of contaminants.
	Soil pollution jeopardizes the achievement of most of the SDGs The prevention, control, and remediation of soil pollution are fundamental if we want to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
	Impact of soil contaminants on human health Contaminants in soil have widespread effects on organs and systems, producing a wide variety of health outcomes, from acute to chronic diseases, leading to severe development issues, changes in bodily functions, and premature death.
	Contaminants transfer to the food chain Contaminated plants and soil organisms lead to potentially hazardous accumulations in animals higher in the food web such as grazing animals, birds and ultimately transferred to humans.
	Soil pollution, a hidden reality This poster presents in a nutshell the sources, degradation processes and effects of soil pollution on the environment, human health and food safety and security. Other languages: Thai
	Soil pollution is borderless Soil pollution is a borderless often invisible threat whose presence and effects are present in every corner of the globe.