Our Vision
The Centre for Sustainable Soils brings together researchers to advance the frontiers of soil research and place soils at the heart of a sustainable future.
Soils are the foundation of life. They underpin our food systems, regulate climate and help protect us from climate extremes, and are a habitat for more than half of all the species on Earth. Yet globally, soils are under severe pressure from unsustainable management and rapid environmental change. The UN FAO estimates that over one-third of the world’s soils are already degraded – a figure that could exceed 90% by 2050 without urgent action.
As soils rise rapidly up policy, industry and public agendas, the need for effective, evidence-based strategies has never been greater. Despite their importance, major gaps remain in our understanding of how soils function, how they interact with wider ecosystems, and how social, economic and cultural systems can support sustainable management. These gaps limit the development of effective policy and hinder the uptake of sustainable practices on the ground.
The Centre for Sustainable Soils brings together researchers from across Lancaster University and UKCEH to address this challenge. We integrate cutting-edge soil science with expertise across environmental and social sciences; harness advances in data science, AI, physics, chemistry and engineering to generate new solutions; and work with business, arts and humanities scholars to support socially, culturally and economically viable action.
Whether you are in research, policy, industry or civil society, we welcome you to get in touch and work with us to help place soils at the heart of a sustainable future.
