A necessary starting point to achieve the objective of preserving soil resources is to reach an adequate level of knowledge on their status and to raise awareness on their importance (UNEP, 2007; Sanchez et al., 2009; Palm et al., 2010; Sachs et al., 2010).

Interview with Prof. Antonio Rocha Magalhães
Chair of the Committee on Science and Technology (CST)
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

Over the last decades, increased pressure on the environment has globally led to non-adapted land management in order to keep up with food and consumption demands and in order to carry on making the best economic profit mostly neglecting that same environment counted on to provide these services.

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa, has led to the creation of a road map for the renewal of the Kyoto Protocol with a binding legal framework, the definition of the structure of the Green Climate Fund and a commitment not to increase the average temperature of the Earth by more than two degrees centigrade.