You can contribute to the creation of the platform by answering the SoiLEX questionnaire, which aims to verify the validity of the information we currently have on your country and to enrich the database. The database has been built upon FAOLEX database, which is to date one of the largest global electronic collection of legal frameworks and instruments related to food, agriculture and natural resources management, as well as the EU Soil Wiki, an online inventory of soil protection policy instruments for EU Member States.

In order to facilitate the review, the questionnaire has been divided by regions (GSP Regional Soil Partnerships). Please click on your region, download the questionnaire and respond only for your country to the best of your ability. The regional questionnaires and a supporting document with background information and detailed instructions are provided for ease of reference here:

• Africa
• Asia   
• Eurasia                                              
• Europe (EU Countries)  
• Europe (non-EU countries)        
• Latin America and the Caribbean                                          
• Near East and North Africa
  
• North America
• Pacific

We strongly encourage you to share the questionnaire with other soil stakeholders in your country in order to have the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Please send the completed questionnaire to Ms Natalia Eugenio Rodriguez ([email protected]) with copy to the Global Soil Partnership Secretariat ([email protected]). For further queries or comments, you can contact us on the same addresses.

Call for experts on soil legislation

Paired with the creation of SoiLEX, a working group on soil legislation will be created to support the urgent need to identify, compile and review national legislation on soil protection, conservation and restoration. The working group will contribute to the review of the SoiLEX database containing the legal instruments adopted in each country. While compiling national laws and maintaining the database up-to-date is paramount, it is only the first step to support the development of adequate soil legislation. In order to make SoiLEX more useful for policymakers, the working group will also contribute to carry out thematic and country studies on specific aspects of soil legislation and its implementation to develop new knowledge, document existing good practices and encourage the exchanges of experiences in soil governance among countries and regions.

The call is open for environmental law and policy experts from governments, scientists and research groups, NGOs, policymakers at all levels, members of existing initiatives, and any other relevant stakeholder. As such, it falls in line with the inclusive, participatory and voluntary mandate and nature of the GSP, building on existing initiatives and institutions while bringing together all regions and countries of the world.

In case you are interested to join this working group, please send an email to Ms Natalia Eugenio Rodriguez ([email protected]) with copy to the Global Soil Partnership Secretariat ([email protected]).