World Soil Day: Healthier Soils Through Policy, Practice, and Certification
Under our feet runs a network of microorganisms, insects, organic matter, minerals, and water. According to the European Union, soils host a quarter of the planet’s biodiversity, and 95% of our food depends on them being healthy. As the planet’s largest terrestrial carbon reservoir, they also naturally store significant amounts of CO₂, making them vital for climate mitigation. However, today, the condition of our soils is under pressure, with up to 70% of soils across the EU not in good health.
World Soil Day provides a chance to recognise these challenges while also showcasing progress. The EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and the EU Soil Monitoring Directive represent significant steps toward healthier, more resilient soils across Europe.
Europe Adopts Its First Unified Approach to Soil Monitoring
Across Europe over the past decades, soil health has been steadily declining due to unsustainable land practices, contamination, erosion, compaction, and the increasing effects of climate change. Moreover, there has been no unified, dedicated legislative framework for soil protection so far.
The new EU Soil Monitoring Law, adopted in October 2025, addresses this long-standing gap. Aiming for healthy European soils by 2050, it requires standardised monitoring across all Member States to produce comparable physical, chemical, and biological soil condition data. The law introduces soil health descriptors and regular reporting on soil health, land take (soil sealing and soil removal), and contaminated sites.
How ISCC Supports Soil Stewardship
At ISCC, soil protection has always been a core part of our sustainability framework, as outlined in ISCC Principle 2: “Environmentally responsible production to protect soil, water and air.” It requires agricultural producers to maintain and enhance soil fertility, prevent erosion and compaction, manage soil nutrients responsibly, and adopt good agricultural practices suited to local conditions. Soil management plans, crop rotation, erosion control, and biodiversity measures are all included within these requirements.
Want to Learn More?
Find in-depth information about the six ISCC sustainability principles for the production of agricultural biomass in our System Documents.
One Step Further: Regenerative Agriculture with ISCC
Recognising the need to further restore and enhance soil ecosystems, we developed the ISCC Regenerative Agriculture add-on, which can be included in ISCC EU or PLUS certification. The add-on strengthens the foundation set by ISCC Principle 2, advancing from compliance-based soil protection to more proactive measures that improve soil health, increase soil organic carbon and ecosystem function.
Our Regenerative Agriculture add-on requirements include:
- Soil Analysis: Conduct soil testing at least every three years, sampling to a depth of 0–30 cm on arable land.
- Soil Management: Implement a structured soil plan that includes documented improvements and soil analysis results.
- Cover Crops: Ensure that at least 50% of cropland is covered with cover crops, mulch, and/or residues for 10 months each year.
- Crop Rotation: Develop a clear rotation plan involving at least three crops, including legumes.
- Water Management: Maintain detailed water management plans and records of water use per crop to promote efficient irrigation.
- Biodiversity: Take specific actions to create ecological focus areas, aiming to cover 10% of the land over 10 years.
Join Our Regenerative Agriculture Webinar
To support System Users and stakeholders interested in regenerative approaches, we warmly invite you to our upcoming webinar on 16 December 2025. You will learn about the benefits of regenerative agriculture for nature, climate, and farmers, and receive a practical introduction to the certification requirements and processes.
