World Soil Day 2025: Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities
Why in the news
World Soil Day 2025 turned attention to city soils as a hidden base for resilience, food and health.
Why urban soil matters
| Role | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Climate | Vegetated soil cools heat islands and stores carbon |
| Floods | Absorbs rain and refills groundwater, unlike paved surfaces |
| Food and biodiversity | Supports rooftop gardens, parks, microbes, pollinators and earthworms |
| Wellbeing | Green spaces cut stress and encourage activity |
Concerns
- Industrial pollution, compaction by construction, loss of organic matter, and sealing under concrete and asphalt.
Way forward
- Restoration with compost and soil testing; limit further sealing.
- Green infrastructure: parks, rain gardens, tree belts.
- Urban agriculture in community, backyard and container gardens.
- Fewer chemicals, native plants, mulching; school soil workshops and composting.
Exam angle
- Date: 5 December; related terms: urban heat island, soil sealing.