3 September 2014
Websites Prepared for International Year of Soils 2015
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Two websites are under way that will serve as information resources on events and activities planned for the 2015 International Year of Soils (IYS).

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has launched the IYS website that will function as the main platform for information sharing.

The European Commission is working on a soil-specific website that will provide information on IYS activities in the EU.

ec-iys27 August 2014: Two websites are under way that will serve as information resources on events and activities planned for the 2015 International Year of Soils (IYS). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has launched the IYS website that will function as the main platform for information sharing. The European Commission is working on a soil-specific website that will provide information on IYS activities in the EU.

The main 2015 IYS website is hosted on the website of FAO, which has been nominated to implement the Year within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) and in collaboration with governments and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Secretariat. The website, available in the six official UN languages, aims to share IYS-related information and relevant resources, and increase awareness on the importance of soils for food security and ecosystem functions.

Following the recommendation by a scoping study prepared for the Environment Directorate-General (DG ENV) of the European Commission, the DG ENV is working towards launching a website, in late autumn 2014, to serve as a voluntary platform on IYS activities planned at local, regional or national levels within the EU. The website will seek to improve transparency and coordination of activities in Europe, contribute to the FAO/GSP IYS website, and share several types of information resources relating to soil awareness. The scoping study, launched in May 2014, examined types of awareness-raising activities and events the Commission could co-organize to mark the IYS.

In December 2013, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 2015 as the IYS. The same meeting also declared 5 December of each year as World Soil Day (WSD). [2015 IYS Website] [European Commission Website on Soil] [International Year of Soils 2015 Scoping Study for DG ENV Report] [IISD RS Articles on the IYS]

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