Soil degradation threatens food supply and scientists are calling for action

Soil is like the earth’s skin — a protective layer that makes up a complex ecosystem. 

That skin, which supports all life on Earth, is under threat, with scientists from a new global think tank warning 90 per cent of the planet’s soil could be degraded by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.

“If we don’t fix it, the planet will cease to function and humanity will be in trouble,” Professor Alex McBratney from the University of Sydney’s Institute of Agriculture said. 

What is soil degradation?

A 2023 University of Colorado study found 60 per cent of all known species on Earth live in the soil,…