Headline: Expert Meeting „Soils in the Nexus“

Global population growth and the impacts of climate change lead to a serious overuse of natural resources and thus to far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and people. To ensure water, energy and food security in the long term, a nexus perspective, i.e. a holistic view of these issues, is essential. So far, the resource water has been at the core of the nexus. The Global Soil Forum of the IASS aims to put more emphasis on soil resources.

In this context, the IASS in Potsdam organized, in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), an expert meeting entitled “Soils in the Nexus” on June 17, 2013. Representatives of the German federal government, research institutions and non-governmental organizations came together to discuss what consequences the inclusion of soils would have for the nexus perspective. The group also considered if such a broader perspective could increase the relevance of the topic of soils in the global sustainability debate.

The event at the IASS Potsdam endorses the Bonn Nexus Conference 2011 “The Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus – Solutions for the Green Economy” and at the same time provides a basis for the Global Soil Week 2013 which is organized by the Global Soil Forum and will take place in Berlin on October 27 to 31, 2013.