31ST JULY TO 5TH AUGUST 2022
The World Congress of Soil Science 2022 (WCSS 22) is a leading international soil science conference, held every four
years in different countries and attended by over 3,000 soil scientists from around the globe. The next Congress is
being organised by the British Society of Soil Science on behalf of the International Union of Soil Sciences.
The Congress theme, ‘Soil Science – crossing boundaries, changing society’ will focus on the link between soil and
society, with sessions covering soil systems, soil processes, soil management and how we interact with and use soils
around the world. There will be opportunities for specialist workshops and discussion sessions across a wide range of
soil disciplines. The core programme is supported by tours and a cultural and arts programme for delegates and the
wider public to explore our diverse environment and culture.
Where & when is it?
The Congress will take place at the award winning and world-class Scottish Event Campus, a riverside venue minutes from central Glasgow in Scotland, UK. The Congress will take place between 31 July and 5 August 2022, flanked by an exciting menu of soil science activities such as the soil tours, soil judging programme and outreach activities under the banner of Our Living Soil.
Who should attend?
The congress is open to anyone who has an interest in the sustainable use of soils, particularly research scientists, regulators and NGOs. There will be a specific policymakers’ programme on Tuesday 2 August 2022 to discuss how scientific research can inform environmental policy.
Speakers
The exciting programme includes the full list of plenary, divisional and interdivisional sessions and the agreed keynote and oral presenters for all sessions. Plenary speakers at the event will include Dr Ranveer Chandra, CTO AgriFood, Microsoft, USA; Prof. Suzi Huff Theodoro, Professor of Soil Geology, Pesquisadora Universidade de Brasilia; Prof Ismahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist, UN FAO and Dr Debra Roberts, CoChair of Working Group II of the IPCC, Durban, South Africa.
If you haven’t already booked, don’t miss out on the opportunity to attend the major soil science conference of the last four years. To book your full congress ticket or one-day delegate pass, please visit www.22wcss.org.
Why should i attend?
At a time of global concern for our planet and its growing population, managing our soils sustainably has never been as important. 90% of our food comes from soil, as does all of our timber and other fibre. Soil, and the ecosystems it supports, have a huge role in mitigating against climate change, is a vast reservoir of biodiversity, plays a significant role in flood management and contains key evidence of past civilisations. Our understanding of the importance of these functions is developing rapidly and the Congress provides the ideal setting to discover the international state of the art in these critical global issues and an opportunity to connect across all who work with and rely on soils.
#GROUNDED
SOIL RESTORATION
Our supporters Lizzie Daly and Riverford Organics recognise the need for effective action and that the protection and restoration of soils must be a global priority. At a policy level, the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) supports the Global Soil Partnership, led by the UN and we will be leading the call for collective change at COP 26 and the World Congress of Soil Science 2022. It is estimated that there are 1,500 gigatonnes of carbon in the world’s soil; three times more than in all vegetation and forests. Deforestation, global warming and poor farming practices can lead to the release of soil carbon into the atmosphere, and in turn speed up the climate warming process.
Our Science Note: Soil Carbon, sets out why soil carbon is so important and outlines our recommendations for governments.
Healthy soil supports biodiversity: biodiverse soils can host millions of organisms in each teaspoon. Sustaining life in soil is essential to ensure soil health, which supports our ability to grow food and farm effectively. When managed well, soil can store significant amounts of rainfall, preventing flooding and stop soil washing away, which can affect the health and safety of communities.
