Soils are essential for survival! That is why we must stop carelessly trampling them underfoot.

Because:

- 95% of food production is dependent on soils.

- 60% of biodiversity is hidden in our soils.

- Soils filter and purify water before it reaches our groundwater.

- Healthy soils reduce the risk of flooding and droughts.

- Soils are important CO2 reservoirs for combating the climate crisis.

It is therefore important that an EU soil protection regulation is introduced. We are currently negotiating this in the European Parliament. Today, as the responsible MEP for my Greens/EFA group, I have tabled important amendments to the law.

My key proposals for healthy soils with more biodiversity are:

- Specific targets for soil protection - 100% healthy soils by 2050 at the latest and 75% healthy soils by 2035

- a binding target of net zero land resealing, with interim targets up to 2050

- an obligation to prioritize the use of brownfield sites instead of sealing meadows, forests and fields

- Introduction of a register of brownfield sites

- No industrial settlements in water protection and nature conservation areas

- Strict compensation and mitigation measures if soil sealing cannot be avoided

- Better training of competent authorities to avoid incorrect soil management

- the polluter pays principle for the remediation of contaminated sites - so that the public does not have to pay for industrial soil pollution

- Extended soil analyses to detect not only heavy metal contamination, but also other hazardous chemicals/substances

- Sustainable soil management methods

There must be consistent citizen participation in development plans. Let's fight together in Europe for better soil protection so that the Soil Monitoring Directive becomes a real soil protection law!

Watch my speech on this in the European Parliament's Environment Committee here.