How healthy soil and land creates solid ground for global resilience

The document highlights that one-third of global soil is degraded, costing the global economy $878 billion annually. It advocates for redirecting agricultural incentives toward sustainable land management, noting that every dollar invested in land restoration can return between $7 and $30. The text emphasizes the role of soil as a carbon sink and biodiversity hub, and discusses initiatives like the Great Green Wall and Business4Land to integrate soil stewardship into corporate and global policy frameworks.

• One-third of global soil is currently degraded, with over 100 million hectares lost annually, an area comparable to the combined size of France and Spain.
• Land degradation and drought result in an annual cost of $878 billion to the global economy, impacting food and water security, energy production, supply chains, and contributing to conflict and forced displacements.
• Investing in land restoration offers high economic returns, with an estimated $7 to $30 return for every dollar spent through increased carbon storage, higher yields, and improved human and environmental resilience.
• There is a significant financing gap in land restoration and drought resilience, with only 6% of current funding provided by the private sector.
• Soil health is a systemic challenge that underpins the three Rio Conventions (UNCCD, CBD, and UNFCCC) and all Sustainable Development Goals, requiring coordinated action across science, policy, and business.

APA

Murillo, A. M. (2025). How healthy soil and land creates solid ground for global resilience. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/food-water-air/healthy-soils-and-land-global-resilience/

Chicago

Murillo, Andrea Meza. How healthy soil and land creates solid ground for global resilience. World Economic Forum, 2025. https://www.weforum.org/stories/food-water-air/healthy-soils-and-land-global-resilience/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Murillo |first1=Andrea Meza |title=How healthy soil and land creates solid ground for global resilience |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=5 December 2025 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/food-water-air/healthy-soils-and-land-global-resilience/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{murillo2025how, author = {Murillo, Andrea Meza}, title = {{How healthy soil and land creates solid ground for global resilience}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/food-water-air/healthy-soils-and-land-global-resilience/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }