Source: The post “Urban Soils – The Unsung Hero” has been created, based on “A day to pause and come down to earth” published in “The Hindu” on 05th December 2025.
UPSC Syllabus: GS Paper-3- Environment
Context: World Soil Day is observed on December 5th every year to raise awareness about the importance of soil in sustaining life. The theme for 2025, “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities,” emphasizes the need to protect urban soils and address challenges faced by cities.
Significance of Urban Soil
- Urban soil is a dynamic, living resource that plays a crucial role in sustaining urban life.
- With over 56% of the global population now living in cities, the health of urban soil has become a critical issue.
- Soil in urban environments contributes to environmental, social, and economic resilience.
Key Benefits of Healthy Urban Soil
- Combating Climate Change and Extreme Heat: Urban areas are prone to higher temperatures due to the urban heat island effect. Healthy soils, covered with vegetation, absorb heat, sequester carbon, and act as natural air conditioners in parks and green spaces.
- Flood Prevention and Water Management: Healthy urban soil absorbs and filters rainwater, helping prevent flooding. It replenishes groundwater supplies and reduces the risk of urban floods, unlike impermeable surfaces like concrete.
- Supporting Urban Food Systems and Biodiversity: Urban agriculture (e.g., rooftop farms, community gardens) relies on fertile soil to provide fresh food and enhance local resilience. Healthy soils support biodiversity, including essential organisms like earthworms and pollinators, which help with plant growth and soil fertility.
- Improving Mental and Physical Health: Contact with nature in urban green spaces has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Gardening and spending time in soil-rich environments encourage physical activity and improve overall well-being.
Degradation of Urban Soil
- Urban soil is among the most degraded natural resources due to various pressures.
- Common causes of degradation include: Contamination from industrial waste, Compaction from construction activities, Loss of organic matter and sealing of soil by concrete and asphalt, which suffocates soil life.
- These factors reduce soil fertility, threaten food safety, and damage ecosystems.
Blueprint for Action: Steps to Protect Urban Soil
- Urban Soil Restoration and Protection
- Prioritize the rehabilitation of degraded urban soils through composting, soil testing, and organic amendments.
- Prevent further soil sealing by controlling urban development and minimizing new construction that covers soil.
- Promoting Green Infrastructure
- Replace concrete with soil-based solutions such as parks, rain gardens, and tree belts.
- These green infrastructures reduce urban heat, manage stormwater, and improve urban livability.
- Supporting Urban Agriculture
- Encourage community gardens, rooftop farms, and backyard plots to promote soil health and local food production.
- Urban agriculture can also strengthen social bonds and enhance resilience in urban communities.
- Adopting Responsible Soil Management Practices
- Use eco-friendly practices like reducing chemical fertilizers, minimizing pesticide use, and planting native species.
- Protect topsoil through mulching and other soil conservation techniques.
- Increasing Soil Literacy and Composting
- Schools and communities should engage in soil education through workshops and hands-on activities.
- Promote composting at the household level to recycle organic waste back into the soil, enriching its fertility.
Conclusion: The foundation of resilient cities lies not just in infrastructure but in the health of urban soil. By prioritizing the protection and restoration of urban soils, cities can address environmental challenges such as climate change, flooding, food insecurity, and public health. Healthy cities depend on healthy soils, and it is up to individuals, communities, and governments to act as stewards of this vital resource for a sustainable future.
Question: Discuss the key benefits of healthy urban soil and the actions required to protect and restore it. How can healthy soil help address challenges like climate change, flooding, and food insecurity in cities?
