The Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18) was held at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, on 2-4 May 2018 and attended by 525 participants from 100 countries, including representatives of FAO member states, organizing institutions, scientists and practitioners working on the remediation of polluted soils, the agrochemical industry and representatives from the private sector and civil society.

The recommendations presented in the outcome document are aimed at supporting the development of policies and actions to encourage the implementation of soil management and land use planning strategies that enhance the prevention,  minimization and remediation of soil pollution when feasible, through the promotion of sustainable soil management (SSM). The recommendations are structured around the four themes of the symposium, focusing on the identification of the main sources of soil pollution, the assessment of negative impacts of soil pollution on food safety, the environment and human health, the available methods for monitoring, assessing and remediating soil pollution, and the existence of national or regional policies and guidelines that include threshold values for different pollutants and the global status of soil pollution. The identification of weaknesses in knowledge and regulations has led to the definition of the line of work for future approaches and the prioritization of the most urgent actions in a consensual manner.

THEME 1: SOIL POLLUTION ON AGRICULTURAL FIELDS AND OTHER LAND USES

Recommendation 1: to support the development and implementation of tools and guidelines that would support the prevention and remediation of soil pollution, such as the international code of conduct for the use and management of fertilizers.

Recommendation 2: to include soil pollution assessment and minimization measures in the soil doctors programme in order to support land users to maintain healthy soils under local  conditions for long-term benefits.  

THEME 2: THE IMPACT OF SOIL POLLUTION ON FOOD PRODUCTION AND SAFETY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND OVERALL HUMAN WELL-BEING

Recommendation 3: to advocate for the implementation of existing guidelines, such as the codex alimentarius, the revised world soil charter, the voluntary guidelines for sustainable soil management, the code of conduct on pesticide management, the global action plan on antimicrobial resistance amongst others, to ensure safe food in the face of emerging soil pollutants.

Recommendation 4: to establish an expert and multi-stakeholder working group to develop feasible and regionally contextualized guidelines for assessing, mapping, monitoring and reporting on soil pollution. 

THEME 3: REMEDIATION OF POLLUTED SITES

Recommendation 5: to establish a working group to develop guidelines for the management of polluted soils, including a database of good practices for addressing soil pollution (management and remediation).

Recommendation 6: to implement capacity development building and training activities covering the full cycle of soil pollution: from its assessment to its remediation - including the strengthening of facilities for data analysis and management.

THEME 4: GLOBAL STATUS OF SOIL POLLUTION

Recommendation 7: to implement the activities of the global soil laboratory network (GLOSOLAN), including harmonized methods to identify and measure soil contaminants.

Recommendation 8: to implement a global assessment of the status of global soil pollution using a country-driven process in line with the UNEA3 resolution “managing soil pollution to achieve sustainable development” and to promote the establishment of national soil information systems that include data/information on contaminants. 

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