F1ES 4430 - Soils Matter: Examining Their Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals.

Soils are a critical component of the Earth's ecosystems, playing a fundamental role in supporting biodiversity, regulating water cycles, and sustaining agricultural production.

Soils

• Provide nutrients, water, and structure for plants to grow.
• Act as carbon sinks and sources
• Play a key role in managing water. They filter rainwater, remove pollutants, and regulate groundwater recharge, maintaining healthy water cycles and preventing floods or droughts.
• Shelter a wide variety of organisms,
• Recycle nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are essential for plant growth. This process is fundamental for maintaining soil fertility.
• Help prevent soil erosion by wind and water,
• Have social and cultural significance,

These functions are interconnected and essential for sustainable ecosystems and human well-being. This course examines the vital contributions of soil organic carbon of these functions

Time will be devoted to practical works to assess the impact of land use changes on carbon budget (NEXT tool developed by FAO will be used). Students will have to present individual work and also group works. They will be asked to propose innovation to make soils game changer in the climate and SDGs agenda.

Learning Outcomes:

o The soil is no longer a black box. Be able to understand the different steps of the C cycle in eco and agro systems. Know the main determinants of this cycle in biomasses and soils.

o Mitigation, adaptation to climate change: appreciate why agriculture is on the solution agenda.

o Have a broad view on the constraints and benefits of agroecology to combat and adapt to climate change

o Be familiar with the different terms related to C storage in soils (C balance, organic matter, CO2 equivalent, C storage, sequestration, potential, saturation...)

o Be familiar with the SDG and interlinkages between targets

o A better comprehension of the levers and barriers to reach net zero carbon emission by 2050: keep the integrity of the AFOLU sector as a lever for achieving SDGs. Identify the different actors of carbon sequestration and the benefits and negative externalities associated with C storage in soils

o Know the existence of tools to assess the environmental impact of land use and land use change: an example of the use of The Nationally Determined Contribution Expert Tool (NEXT-FAO)

o Appreciate the commitments to carbon neutrality in 2050 and the environmental integrity of the land sector: necessary synergy for the achievement of the SDGs

• Professional Skills
• Technical skills
• Explain why soil matters for sustainable development goal achievements
• Practical experience of The Nationally Determined Contribution Expert Tool (NEXT-FAO)
• Justify the pivotal role of soil organic carbon stock for the 3 Rio conventions, i.e. for climate mitigation and adaptation (UNFCCC) but also for biodiversity (CBD) and desertification (UNCCD), and the SDG
• Apprehend the complexity and limits of land use and management to promote continental carbon sequestration.

b)Soft skills

• Communication: oral, writing
• Leadership and collaborative spirit
• Critical thinking
• Timekeeping

No prerequisites

Pedagogical and feedback format

The course is organized around a tool for assessing the greenhouse gas balance of rural development projects and the importance of soil in the climate policy. The format of the sessions is a mix of conceptual lecture (65%), discussions (15%) and practical application (20%).

Oral feedback to students will be globally provided

• before the break
• and at the beginning of Session 9.
• Writing feedback, on each report, will be provided to the student (in the final assessment

This agenda is open for adjustments to fit in the class dynamic

Assessment:

1- Individual work: two modalities

1.1-Each student will have to choose one topic (from a list)

• Evaluation on the clarity of the expression and the respect of the time allotted for the oral presentation

1.2-Each student will have to write a short report on the NEXT-FAO tool (exercice)

2- Group work: two modalities

2.1 The NEXT-FAO : oral presentation

• Quality of the student’s approach to assess the environmental impact of a rural development project
• Quality of the reflexive approach to comment the options in the exercices

2.2- Advocacy for innovations (make soils a game changer)

Based on the course, the readings and the current international context (scientific, political, societal), each group will propose an innovation to strengthen the role of SOILS in international agenda (climate, sustainable development goals, etc.…).

• What should be done to make SOILS a game changer: at the local, national, or international scale? (explain your choice)
• Who are the key actors? (explain your choice)
• What are the pathways to make your innovation actionable?

% of each assessment:

• Thematic presentation (oral) 15%
• Next tool :

Course workload :

In-class presence : 24 hours

Online learning activities : 18 hours

Reading and preparation for class : 18 hours

Research and preparation for group work : 45 hours

Research and writing for individual assessment : 45 hours