status of the world's soils resources report_september 2015

Status World Soil Resources Report – Progress report

Status of the World’s Soil Resources Report

Progress report

By Lucrezia CaonBy Lucrezia CaonFAO Editor

15 September 2015


Objectives of the report• It aims for an assessment of global soil resources, set within a framework of

ecosystem services. It presents the threats to soil functions and their consequences for ecosystem services.

• The report provides a global scientific assessment of current and projected soil conditions built on regional data analysis and expertise.

• The report explores the implications of soil conditions for food security, climate change, water quality and quantity, biodiversity, and human health and wellbeing.

• It is based on the best available soil information, including a full uncertainty evaluation of the soil information.

• It results in the identification of soil-related knowledge gaps that constrain the achievement of sustainable development.

• The report concludes with a series of recommendations for action by policymakers and other stakeholders.

Status of the World’s Soil Resources Report - Progress reportStatus of the World’s Soil Resources Report - Progress report


Contents and Coordinating Lead Authors

Part I: Global Soil Resources: M. Gerasimova (Russia), T. Reinsch (USA) and P. Smith (UK)

Part II: Global Soil change: A. Bationo (Burkina Faso) and S. Indraratne (Sri Lanka)

Part II: Regional assessments of soil change are coordinated by: V. Chude (Africa South of the Sahara), K. Yagi (Asia), P. Krasilnikov (Europe), M.L. Mendonça (Latin America and the Caribbean), S. Kazem Alavi (Near East and North Africa), D. Pennock (North America), N. McKenzie (South West Pacific and Antarctica)

Part III: Impacts and Responses: M. Taboada (Argentina), C. Norbu (Bhutan) and D. Robinson (UK)



Timeline: where are we?• July 2013: Decision taken by ITPS to produce a report on the Status of the World Soil

Resources and appointment of an editorial board.

• February 2014: First meeting of the Editorial Board.

• April 2014: ITPS meeting: Table of Contents agreed, Managing editor appointed, Coordinating Lead Authors designated.

• May – November 2014: Draft sections submitted and Zero Draft Report produced.

• December 2014: Second meeting Editorial Board.

• January –May 2015 Peer review and finalization SWSR report

• January – May 2015 Preparation policy report

• June 2015 GSP Plenary informed/approval of the SWSR report.


June-November 2015 Report edited and ready for printing

5 December 2015 presentation of the SWSR at the UN: English printed version of the SWSR report

Status World Soil Resources Report – Progress report Status of the World’s Soil Resources Report - Progress reportStatus of the World’s Soil Resources Report - Progress report


Main and regional reports


Grammar editing:

Final version of the report by 18 September, 2015

21-23 September: last changes to the SWSR (figures/captions/authors name) based on comments received from authors (Lucrezia)

Note: Number of pages overshot the target by 20%, if the pages of references are ignored; but largely when reference pages are counted.

Graphic editing:

Ongoing (same layout Summary report)

Format: most likely A4


Figures:

Still missing:

Main report: 3.5, 3.7, 3.8 (FAO) + 6.9 (P. Okoth, J. Mung’atu, J. Huising, J. Jefwa)

Regional report: 9.2-9.4, 13.1, 13.7-13.9 (FAO) + 10.4 (K. Yagi) + 12.5 (C. Gaistardo) + 12.7, 12.9 (M. Taboada) + 14.6 (D. Pennock) + 15.1-15.6 (N. McKenzie)

Annex: collection completed!


Copyright permission: We are still waiting to know about the copyright permission of a few figures

We do not have the copyright permission only for a few figures-Figures remade by our graphic designer-Figures deleted/changed/replaced


BUT…we received the following comments from experts in communication:

- It is quite long for being a summary report: 96 pages after graphic editing

- It is too technical for a general audience- It does not stand alone as it refers to the main report (text and figures)- It mainly summarizes just chapter 7 (“The impact of soil changes in

ecosystem services”) and chapter 8 (“Governance and policy responses to soil change”).

- Missing is much from chapter 6 (“Global soil status, process and trends”), although some information from this chapter is woven into the structure of chapter 7 that does not yield a clear summary of the states of the worlds’ soil.

- It does not effectively highlight key facts that would catch readers’ attention and prompt them to think

Summary report (format B5)


It is ready for publishing

ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/nr/data/upload/soils/Soil_Report_Summary_B5_002.pdf

ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/nr/data/upload/soils/Soil_Report_Summary_B5_002.pdf


Summary report (format B5)


Our communication group advised us to ask an expert in communication to remake the summary:Target audience: POLICY MAKERS

- Key messages from the SWSR easy to understand- Shorter than the previous one- It will stand alone: no direct references to the main and

regional reports

Time to produce it: 20 working days


Summary for policy makers: structure


• Key messages -- 4 pages -- soil is important (food security, ecosystem services), soil is threatened (drivers of change), soils are in trouble (soil status and trends + regional trends), action can and must be taken (responses + the way ahead)

• Importance of soil -- 8 pages -- food security, soils and water, soils and climate, soils and human health, soils and biodiversity

• Drivers of change in soil -- 4 pages

• Soil status and trends -- 16 pages -- erosion, soil organic carbon, soil contamination, soil acidification, soil salinization, soil biodiversity, soil sealing, soil nutrient balance, soil compaction, soil water quantity and quality

• Responses -- 8 pages -- technical and policy options to mitigate soil degradation and maintain/enhance soil ecosystem services, food security, and human health

• The way forward -- 4 pages

• Regional trends -- 36 pages. 4 pages per each region: 2 pages of text and a table that spans 2 pages

Status World Soil Resources Report – Progress report Status of the World’s Soil Resources Report - Progress reportStatus of the World’s Soil Resources Report - Progress report

status of the world's soils resources report_september 2015

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