First working session of the ITPS
Considering the urgency of addressing crucial global soil issues, the recently established Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils held its first working session from 22 to26 July 2013 at FAO HQ.
24 of the 27 members actively participated (with regrets by 3 absent members) and addressed the issues requested by the GSP Plenary Assembly:
- Item 7.1. Soils and the Post Rio+20 SDGs: A brief on Soils has been prepared as an input for the Post 2015 process. A working group has been established for contributing to the ongoing process.
- Item 7.2 Support to the GSP Pillars of Action: The Draft Plan of Action for Pillar 4 was endorsed by the ITPS. The remaining Plans of Actions will be developed following the agreed Rules of Procedure under the leadership of the Secretariat. Certain ITPS Members joined specific Pillars for contributing to the development of their Plans of action .
- Item 7.3 Preparation of a work plan and timetable for updating the World Soil Charter : A working group has been established for developing the new version of the World Soil Charter. The goal is to present the new version at the 39th session of the FAO Conference. All the necessary steps will be followed accordingly.
- Item 7.4 Links between ITPS and existing technical and scientific advisory bodies like IPCC, IPBES : ITPS requested the Secretariat to send a letter to UN Conventions and relevant UN organizations presenting the GSP and its ITPS as a mechanism that could contribute with scientific advice on soils to their different actions.
- Item 7.5 Status of World Soil Resources Report : ITPS agreed to prepare a first World Soil Resources Report by 2015 (International Year of Soils) and discussed options regarding its content. ITPS members will contribute and will seek further contributions from other recognized top scientists.
After a fruitful and exhaustive week of work, the ITPS members committed towards contributing to the global soil agenda in order to globally promote the preservation and sustainable use/management of healthy soils and the restoration of degraded soils as a crucial input to the sustainable development agenda.