FORUM: "Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities." World Soil Day 2025. Urban soils provide essential ecosystem services: they support food production, filter water, store
carbon, regulate temperatures, and sustain biodiversity. However, soil sealing, pollution, and
urban expansion threaten these benefits, increasing flood risks, intensifying heat islands and
threatening food production in peri-urban land.
Solutions exist. De-sealing, green roofs, urban vegetation and agriculture, composting, and
sustainable urban planning can turn soil into opportunities to strengthen climate action, improve
public health, reduce disaster risks, and foster inclusive and greener cities. It’s a day to reflect on the importance of soil in the natural system and celebrate the actions being taken worldwide to safeguard it. This World Soil Day, the spotlight is on soil as a critical resource for life on Earth. Healthy soils play a key role in maintaining biodiversity, reducing erosion and pollution, improving water filtration, and building resilient and sustainable food systems. They also contribute significantly to climate action through carbon sequestration, Let's underscore the importance of accurate soil data and information in understanding soil characteristics and supporting informed decision making on sustainable soil. WSD is a unique global platform that not only celebrates soils but also an occasion to empower and engage citizens around the world to improve soil health. Our planet’s survival depends on the precious link between soil and water. Over 95% of our food originates from these two fundamental resources. Soil and water are vital for nutrient absorption by plants, binds our ecosystems together. This symbiotic relationship is the foundation of our agricultural systems. However, in the face of climate change and human activity, our soils are being degraded, putting excessive pressure on our water resources. Erosion disrupts the natural balance, reducing water infiltration and availability for all forms of life. Sustainable soil management practices, such as minimum tillage, crop rotation, organic matter addition, and cover cropping, improve soil health, reduce erosion and pollution, and enhance water infiltration and storage. These practices also preserve soil biodiversity, improve fertility, and contribute to carbon sequestration, playing a crucial role in the fight against climate change. Follow the conversations with the hashags: #worldSoilDay, #5December, #soilandwater, #soil.
EVENT: On December 5th, from 13:15 to 14:30 GMT, the World Soil Day 2025 will be celebrated at FAO HQ in Rome, Italy. . Healthy soils are the foundation of life on Earth. World Soil Day (WSD) celebrates soils and raises awareness of their importance for sustainable agrifood systems and human well-being. The theme for 2025 is "Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities" and focuses on the role of soils in cities. Related Documents: Concept Note & FAO Webpage, Register to participate!
During the celebration, we will celebrate soils and raise awareness of their importance for sustainable agrifood systems, climate action, biodiversity, and human well-being. The annual celebration, which also coincides with the birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great of Thailand, pays tribute to His Majesty’s lifelong dedication to championing sustainable soil management as a means to improve people’s quality of lives.
The Permanent Missions of the Kingdom of Thailand, and XXX, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, invite you to commemorate the World Soil Day in New York, on 4 December 2025, from 13.15 - 14.30 hrs at Conference Room (TBC), UN Headquarters. The event will be conducted in English only and webcasted on UN WebTV. World Soil Day 2025 is a call to action. It invites policymakers, scientists, city leaders, civil society, and citizens everywhere to reimagine urban spaces through their soils, ensuring that people and nature can thrive together in healthy green cities. The event will feature a variety of voices including Member States, UN Agencies, New York City’s Mayor’s Office, scientists, professors, students and local farmers.
Rome (Italy), 05/12/2025 - World Soil Day official celebration
Healthy soils for healthy cities.
Healthy soils are the foundation of life on Earth. Each year on 5 December, World Soil Day (WSD) celebrates soils and raises awareness of their importance for sustainable agrifood systems, climate action, biodiversity, and human well-being.
The theme for 2025, “Healthy soils for healthy cities”, focuses on the role of soils in cities and the challenges posed by soil sealing and urbanization.
With two-thirds of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050, soils are the foundations of sustainable and resilient cities.
World Soil Day 2025 is a call to action! It invites policymakers, scientists, city leaders, civil society, and citizens everywhere to reimagine urban spaces through their soils, ensuring that people and nature can thrive together in healthy green cities.
Draft agenda
Time (CET)Programme
10:00 – 10:05 Welcome and Introduction
Ms Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO
10:05 – 10:35 High-level Opening
Dr. QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO
Ms Anacláudia Marinheiro Centeno Rossbach, Executive Director, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
10:35 – 10:40 Artistic performance: “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities”
10:40 – 10:50 Moderator: Mr Lifeng Li, Director, Land and Water Division, FAO
Remarks by H.E. Igor L. Golubovskiy, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to FAO
Video presentation of the laureate of Glinka World Soil Prize 2025
Delivery of the Glinka World Soil Prize 2025 by Dr QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO, and H.E. Igor L. Golubovskiy, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to FAO
Ms Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO
10:05 – 10:35 High-level Opening
Dr. QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO
Ms Anacláudia Marinheiro Centeno Rossbach, Executive Director, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
10:35 – 10:40 Artistic performance: “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities”
10:40 – 10:50 Moderator: Mr Lifeng Li, Director, Land and Water Division, FAO
Remarks by H.E. Igor L. Golubovskiy, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to FAO
Video presentation of the laureate of Glinka World Soil Prize 2025
Delivery of the Glinka World Soil Prize 2025 by Dr QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO, and H.E. Igor L. Golubovskiy, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to FAO
10:50 – 10:55 Remarks by the laureate of the Glinka World Soil Prize 2025
10:55 – 11:05 Remarks by Ms Narumol Sanguanvong, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand
Video presenting the winner of the King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award 2025
11:05 – 11:10 Video
World Soil Day 2025 animation: “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities”
11:10 – 11:15 Announcement of the winners of the contest “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities”
By Ms. Thorunn Wolfram, Secretary of the Global Soil Partnership, FAO
11:15 – 11:20 Conclusions and closing remarks
Ms Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO
Contact - world-soil-day@fao.org
LIVESTREAM: The theme for 2025, “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities”, focuses on the role of soils in cities and the challenges posed by soil sealing and urbanization. With two-thirds of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050, soils are the foundation of sustainable and resilient cities Watch the celebration of World Soil Day 2025!
