Soil degradation needs to be recognized, alongside climate change, as one of the most pressing problems facing humanity. Solutions need to be developed and introduced which address both issues simultaneously. Research by the Economics of Land Degradation Initiative in 2015 calculated that soil degradation is costing between $6.3 and 10.6 trillion dollars per year globally, but these costs could be reduced by enhancing soil carbon stocks and adopting more sustainable farming methods. Farming practices can be employed to improve soil quality and increase soil carbon, including optimal fertilization, crop-grassland rotation, hedgerow planting, and animal manure application. The effects of other practices on SOC stocks, like no-till and green manures, are debated: recent studies show that their contribution is often limited, and in many situations no-till actually leads to yield declines compared with conventional tillage systems. In arid and semi-arid regions, salt-induced soil degradation is one of the most widespread soil degradation processes. It has been estimated that over the last 20 years, 2,000 hectares of agricultural land per day, an area the size of France, have been lost due to salinization. This is equivalent to a global economic loss of $27.3 billion per year. Efficient water management, along with better fertilizer use and improved crop varieties could significantly reduce the negative effects of salt-induced soil degradation. Given the technological advances that have been made in recent years and the greater scientific understanding of the issues today, all types of soil degradation are potentially reversible, as long as there is sufficient public support, understanding, and political will.
