Restore our soil and our planet

Lumbini Kalita 

(lumbini_k27@yahoo.com)

Soil, often overlooked, is the unsung hero of our planet.
This complex ecosystem, teeming with life, underpins agriculture, filters water, and regulates the climate. Yet, this vital resource is under siege. Human activities have pushed the soil to its breaking point. Deforestation, overgrazing, and intensive agriculture have eroded fertile lands, leaving behind barren wastelands. This degradation is not merely an environmental issue; it also threatens food security, water availability, and climate stability. The consequences of soil degradation are far-reaching. As our soils erode, so does our ability to produce food. Water quality deteriorates as pollutants seep into the groundwater. Climate change is amplified as the soil’s capacity to store carbon diminishes.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) reports that a staggering 40% of Earth’s soil is being degraded due to human activities. This isn’t merely an ecological concern but translates to a tangible impact on human well-being and all other life forms on this earth. Scientific data paints a concerning picture. Half the world’s population is directly affected, and nearly half of global GDP (a staggering US$44 trillion) is threatened by this degradation of the soil. The consequences cascade further, impacting vital natural resources like water and soil. Data reveals a worrying 29% increase in the number and duration of droughts since 2000, raising fears that over three-quarters of the global population could be facing water scarcity by 2050. Crucially, this soil degradation is a direct manifestation of humanity’s overextended ecological footprint. The relentless demand for resources and the overconsumption of Earth’s capacity have pushed ecosystems to their breaking point. Desertification, deforestation, and soil erosion are stark indicators of our planet’s inability to regenerate at the rate we are consuming. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) defines soil degradation as a human-driven process that erodes biodiversity and ecosystem services in terrestrial and aquatic environments. On the other hand, desertification, driven by climate change, human activities, and natural processes, results in the transformation of fertile soil into an arid desert, reducing soil productivity and adversely affecting food production, livelihoods, and ecosystem services.

Agricultural practices in India are dependent on climatic conditions that vary across the subcontinent. The transit of the southwestern monsoon brings moisture episodically from the Arabian Sea to western and northern India between July and September, while the northwestern monsoon sporadically waters the east coast between October and December from cyclones drifting in and dumping water evaporated from the Bay of Bengal. Monsoon rainfall is often highly localised in both space and time. Virtually all of the yearly precipitation from the southwestern monsoon falls intensely to the ground in just a few days, spread across a narrow six-week window. Monsoon rains are also becoming increasingly unpredictable under a changing climate. This annual cycle of ‘feast and famine’ has spurred ingenious rainwater harvesting methods across the subcontinent. The 20th and 21st centuries have seen accelerated desertification due to increased agricultural and livestock production, urbanisation, deforestation, and extreme weather events like droughts. This has profound impacts on agricultural productivity, human health, and leads to reduced food production, dry water sources, and population displacement. India, a signatory to the UNCCD, is among the nations facing severe desertification, with several states experiencing high rates of land degradation. Between 2003 and 2018, states like Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya saw some of the highest rates of desertification. Punjab, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand in northern India also witnessed significant degradation, as highlighted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Adapted to local topography, geology, climatic variability, and cultural context, India is a land of myriad clever innovations in water capture and storage. Good stewardship of the soil is vital to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and to helping the global community stay on track to meet the Paris Agreement targets. Globally, no country is immune to drought. Drought frequency, severity, and duration are projected to increase in the short term from now on owing to climate change, which is expected to cause a large displacement of people from affected areas in the long run. With climate change expected to increase drought frequencies, severity, and duration, there is a pressing need to shift from crisis management to preparedness and adaptation measures that significantly reduce vulnerability and exposure at all levels. Droughts are hitting more often and harder all over the world , up by 29 % since 2000 , driven or amplified by climate change but also the way we manage our land. Sustainable soil management is the key to building resilience to drought. Soil restoration, a key pillar of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), focusses on reviving degraded ecosystems, essentially pressing a “reset” button on damaged landscapes. The benefits are multifaceted. Studies suggest that restoring just 15% of the soil could prevent a staggering 60% of projected species extinctions, a testament to the interconnectedness of life on Earth as advocated by SDGs 14 and 15. Furthermore, global restoration efforts could sequester a significant amount of atmospheric carbon, an estimated three billion metric tonnes annually, offsetting roughly 10% of global energy emissions. Critically, addressing soil degradation is estimated to be a game-changer in the fight against climate change, potentially helping keep global warming below the crucial 2°C threshold by 2030. By embracing the science behind soil restoration and investing in its implementation, we have the power to heal the soil and ensure a healthier future for ourselves and generations to come. Let us rise as a generation that restores and rewrites the narrative for our planet.