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Book (stand-alone)Global assessment of soil pollution
Summary for policymakers
2021Also available in:
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. Most contaminants originate from human activities such as industrial processes and mining, poor waste management, unsustainable farming practices, accidents ranging from small chemical spills to accidents at nuclear power plants, and the many effects of armed conflicts. Pollution knows no borders: contaminants are spread throughout terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and many are distributed globally by atmospheric transport. In addition, they are redistributed through the global economy by way of food and production chains. Soil pollution has been internationally recognized as a major threat to soil health, and it affects the soil’s ability to provide ecosystems services, including the production of safe and sufficient food, compromising global food security. Soil pollution hinders the achievement of many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those related to poverty elimination (SDG 1), zero hunger (SDG 2) and good health and well-being (SDG 3). Soil pollution hits the most vulnerable hardest, especially children and women (SDG 5). The supply of safe drinking water is threatened by the leaching of contaminants into groundwater and runoff (SDG 6). CO2 and N2O emissions from unsustainably managed soils accelerate climate change (SDG 13). Soil pollution contributes to land degradation and loss of terrestrial (SDG 15) and aquatic (SDG 14) biodiversity, and decreased security and resilience of cities (SDG 11), among others. The report addresses the extent and future trends of soil pollution, considering both point source and diffuse soil pollution, and describes the risks and impacts of soil pollution on health, the environment and food security – including land degradation and the burden of disease resulting from exposure to polluted soil. The process to develop the report involved in-depth regional assessments of soil pollution, and the regional chapters provide an overview of soil pollution issues at the global scale that is long overdue (Figure 1). The Editorial Board comprised over 30 international experts representing the ITPS, the Regional Soil Partnerships, relevant international fora and expert groups, and the private sector. The Summary for Policymakers presents the main findings of the report, together with options for action to facilitate global policy considerations in the UNEA process. The main report is a comprehensive publication which is available on the FAO website. -
DocumentWater: Where water comes from
Better Farming Series, no. 28 (1981)
1981Also available in:
No results found.This course teaches the farmer about the water cycle. It covers rainfall, ground water, the water table, surface water, evaporation, and transpiration. It also delivers information on wells and springs, swamps, ponds, lakes, streams and rivers. It explains how water is necessary for life. -
ProjectReducing Water Pollution from Agrochemicals in Litani River and Qaraoun Lake, Governorate of Bekaa - UTF/LEB/028/LEB 2023
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No results found.Water pollution in the LitaniRiver and Lake Qaraoun, in the Governorate of Bekaa, poses a serious problem for human health and the environment. The source of pollution, originating from the agricultural sector, is mainly due to the excessive and indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides by farmers. In particular, the runoff from agriculture contributes to poor water quality, as farmers do not employ good agricultural practices (GAP) for preserving natural resources in soil or irrigation water management, pest and crop management, and often overuse agrochemical applications. Against this background, the main objective of the project was to reduce underground, LitaniRiver and Lake Qaraounwater pollution through the promotion and application of GAP, including integrated pest management (IPM), by farmers in the Upper LitaniRiver Basin and Lake Qaraoun.
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