Experts, policymakers and practitioners from across the world gathered in Pisa on 6 and 7 October to shine a light on one of the least visible yet most essential foundations of urban life: soils.

World Soil Day (WSD) 2025

Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities

In celebration of World Soil Day (WSD) 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), its Global Soil Partnership (GSP), the European Union through its EU Mission, “A Soil Deal for Europe” and the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) are launching the“Tiny soil detectives” contest.

World Soil Day (WSD) 2025 – Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities

In celebration of World Soil Day (WSD) 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), its Global Soil Partnership (GSP), the European Union through its EU Mission, “A Soil Deal for Europe” and the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) are launching the “Soil in 1 minute” video contest.

On 15 September 2025, FAO’s Global Soil Partnership (GSP) officially launched the International Network on Soil Erosion (INSER) during a hybrid event in Rabat, Morocco. The event brought together over 300 participants from across the globe (in-person and online), with 365 individuals already registered as INSER members.

Paved roads, parking lots, and high-rises are the visible symbols of urban growth. Yet beneath them lies an often-forgotten foundation of city life: soil. When soils are permeable and vegetated, they can play a key role in cities, absorbing rainwater to reduce flood risks, regulating temperature to ease heat islands, storing carbon, and supporting vegetation that improves air quality and provides food. But when soils are sealed under concrete and asphalt, these life-supporting functions are disrupted, leaving cities more vulnerable to floods, overheating, and pollution