Seminar on soils, climate change and the Global Goals for sustainable development
To celebrate the International Year of Soils 2015, UNU-LRT has throughout this year organised short public meetings on issues related to soils, in partnership with the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland and the UN Association in Iceland. In those meetings topics such as soils & food, soils & education, soils & economy, and soils & cities have been covered. This week a seminar was held to mark the International Year of Soils where the importance of soils was discussed expansively and in connection to the new Global Goals for sustainable development. In the meeting the importance of soils and ecosystem restoration to reach the Global Goals and to fight climate change (goal #13) was emphasized. A panel of people from different arenas of society shared their thoughts on how they believe individuals as well as communities, nations and corporations could contribute to solving the pressing global issues related to soils and land health, which have a direct link to climate change.
UNU-LRT Director co-chaired the meeting with the Chair of the UN Association in Iceland. It was a very informative and positive meeting, attended by a large number of people, among them Madam Vigdis Finnbogadottir, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for languages and former president of Iceland who put much emphasizes on land restoration during her presidential years, and still does.
Photo: The organising committee with former president Madam Vigdis Finnabogadottir