The Centennial Celebration and Congress of the International Union of Soil Sciences
by Edoardo A. C. Costantini
From May 19 to 21, 2024, the celebratory conference marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) was successfully held at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Florence. This event was the first world congress of the IUSS to be held in Italy since its foundation in Rome in 1924. The event was jointly organized by the Italian Soil Science Society (SISS) and the IUSS and was sponsored by numerous institutions, scientific societies, and academies, both national and international, as well as various soil movements and associations (https://centennialiuss2024.org/testimonials-auspices/). The congress saw the participation of nearly 1,500 experts from 73 countries. The largest delegation, after the Italian one, was the Chinese delegation, followed by the United States, and then Germany, Spain, United Kingdom and Mexico. Among the participants were colleagues from Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran, highlighting how soil research unites all countries in the world and fosters dialogue between nations, as well as the advancement of knowledge.
Testimonials & Auspices – Centennial of the IUSS Florence – Italy May 19 – 21, 2024
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Of particular note was the significant participation of young colleagues, strongly pursued by the IUSS through the awarding of a keynote to a colleague from the early career scientists group and the provision of 24 grants. Additionally, there were grants funded by the IUSS Divisions.
The Italian participation included approximately 350 people, primarily involving members of the SISS, but also many researchers outside the SISS who collaborate with various soil sciences. Besides presiding over the congress and forming the Organizing Committee and part of the Scientific Committee, the SISS members played a fundamental role in promoting and organizing the scientific sessions and excursions. Special recognition goes to the Centennial Vice-chairs, who also moderated the plenary sessions.
The SISS, together with the IUSS Secretariat, comprised of CREA personnel, organized a booth that was highly visited and appreciated. The Secretariat also managed relations with the press, which allowed for extensive promotion of the Congress both in Italy and internationally. To this end, 20 interviews were conducted in English, French, Spanish, and Italian (Green Accord, Vatican News) and 7 podcasts were produced.
Also noteworthy was the launch event organized by the FAO and the IUSS Secretariat on May 3rd, which received significant publicity, especially the video about the very place where the IUSS was established in Rome in 1924 (Villa Lubin), available on the IUSS YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EOXZrsdgTg). Furthermore, the proceedings of the 1924 Congress have been digitized and published on the IUSS website (https://www.iuss.org/1924-proceedings-of-the-fourth-international-conference-of-pedology/), and three books were specifically published for the Celebration: i) *The Genealogy of the IUSS*, which was printed and freely distributed to the participants, ii) *Soil is a Source of Life, Water, and Food*, available on the web (https://www.iuss.org/soil-publications/), and iii) *Soil Science in Italy: 1861 to 2024*, available online (https://link.springer.com/book/9783031527432). The three books were presented in a dedicated session of the Congress.
In the 14 plenary sessions and 82 parallel sessions, papers were presented on seven main topics: i) soil health and sustainable development goals, ii) soil governance, iii) soil in the circular economy, iv) the impact of soil sciences on basic knowledge, v) soil in the digital age, vi) soil and humanity, vii) equity, diversity, and inclusivity in soil sciences.
The sessions on soil organic matter were the most numerous, followed by those on soil health management, biodiversity, and soil chemistry, which also included topics related to greenhouse gas emissions and soil pollution. Many papers were also presented in sessions on soil conservation, digital soil mapping, urban soil management, and policy-related topics. A more comprehensive review can be found in the book of abstracts, available online on the Centennial website (https://centennialiuss2024.org/). The proceedings are also planned for publication.
During the Congress, four workshops were organized by the FAO (The Status of the World Soil Resources Report 2025 and Global Soil Mapping and Monitoring), the British Society of Soil Science (Invest in Soil Health – Key Practices and Financial Mechanisms), and international projects SOILS4MED – SHARINGMED (Land and Soil Management to Improve Soil Health in the Mediterranean Area).
The Distinguished Service Medal was awarded to Hon. Penelope Wensley, former Governor of Queensland and “National Soils Advocate” for the Australian government, for her dedication and exceptional contribution to the promotion and strengthening of public policies for the conservation, health, and sustainable management of soil resources in Australia and worldwide.
Additionally, the first “Soil of the Year” was presented: the Chernozem of the Balti steppe, the rich and fertile black soil of Moldova.
The congress was preceded by a pre-congress excursion on May 18 to Villa Lubin in Rome, the historical site of the IUSS’s founding. Some attendees also participated in four technical-scientific excursions, which took participants to the soils of the Alps and rice paddies in Piedmont, the paleosols of the Vulsini Mountains in Lazio, several wine-growing terroirs in Chianti, Umbria, Lazio, and Campania, and to appreciate the connections between soil and art through the frescoes and paintings in Palazzo Vecchio. A book of the excursions is in preparation and will be available on the IUSS website.
To summarize some of the main messages that emerged from the contributions to the Congress, it can be said that the interventions highlighted how global challenges such as food security, combating desertification, addressing climate change and biodiversity loss, improving the well-being and health of citizens and nature, recycling effluents, hydrogeological protection, and water security can only be tackled with accurate scientific knowledge of the soil. Numerous contributions were presented on topics such as the selection and use of soil health indicators for monitoring, reporting, and verifying environmental policies, examples of techniques to combat various forms of soil degradation under different environmental conditions, such as erosion, salinization, pollution, and contamination of soils (including urban soils), compaction, loss of organic matter and biodiversity, acidification, loss of soil fertility, and nutrient imbalance.
From the various contributions, it emerged that the countries most actively engaged in soil research are China, the United States, and Australia. In Europe, contributions vary significantly by country but have certainly been stimulated by the recent approval process of the European Union Parliament’s directive for monitoring and safeguarding soil health. A similar increase in soil health research can also be observed in some non-EU countries, notably the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Among the pressing specific topics, soil contamination by perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) emerged as a critical issue. This group of artificial chemicals accumulates in humans and the environment over time. Globally, there are 86,741 potentially hazardous chemicals for human health, of which 42,293 are still in commercial use and have been detected in food in various parts of the world.
In conclusion, it was reiterated that over 95% of the calories necessary for humanity come from the soil, and about 50% of the world’s gross domestic product depends entirely or partially on the soil. Despite this, more than 60% of soils already suffer from one or more forms of degradation, a situation that could worsen due to the expected increase in anthropogenic and climatic pressures. The resilience and functionality of soils globally are therefore in serious danger.
Research conducted by members of the International Union of Soil Sciences is certainly providing a range of knowledge and operational tools to increase soil productivity and reduce its degradation and consumption. However, these tools need to be better known and, more importantly, more widely implemented.
Communication, dissemination, and policies were the three keywords with which the Congress concluded and…
…..long live the IUSS!
Centennial of the IUSS Florence – Italy May 19 – 21, 2024 – Centennial of the IUSS Florence
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The Centennial in pictures
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