Summary
This paper addresses the marginalisation of soil knowledge in urban planning despite growing recognition of soil as a key resource. Through analysis of seven major urban plans and review of soil science case studies, the authors identified significant gaps between policy rhetoric and implementation, particularly in monitoring soil ecosystem services. The work highlights the need for integrated, discipline-bridging tools that enable soil scientists and urban planners to communicate effectively about soil-related functions.
UK applicability
Findings are likely applicable to UK urban planning contexts, as the analysis included European cities and the challenges identified (weak integration of soil monitoring, lack of standardised indicators) reflect common governance limitations. UK local authorities developing green infrastructure and nature-based solutions policies may benefit from the paper's recommendations for translating soil ecosystem services into planning metrics.
Key measures
Text-mining and qualitative analysis of urban plans; assessment of soil-related ecosystem service indicators and case studies; evaluation of integration of soil-related concepts in urban planning documents
Outcomes reported
The study analysed seven urban plans from world cities to assess how soil and soil-related ecosystem services were incorporated into urban sustainability planning, and reviewed case studies examining soil-related ecosystem services in urban contexts. Findings revealed weak attention to soil in implementation and monitoring phases, and inconsistent approaches to measuring ecosystem service indicators.
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