Soil supports food production, clean water, biodiversity and a stable climate, yet policies often address these benefits separately. We argue that governments should place soil itself at the centre of policymaking, recognising it as a diverse, valuable resource that is difficult to replace.
Our framework brings together five dimensions of soil security: capacity, what a soil can inherently do; condition, its current state; capital, its economic value; connectivity, people’s knowledge and engagement; and codification, the laws and institutions governing its use. Considering these dimensions together helps policymakers identify gaps that laboratory measurements or isolated conservation programmes cannot address.
We propose nine guiding principles. Policies should recognise soil diversity, use and improve knowledge, coordinate different levels of government, and address soil functions, benefits and threats together. They should account for environmental, economic, social and cultural influences, include all stakeholders, and recognise the right to secure soil. They should also benefit society and the planet, prevent damage where possible, and encourage responsible stewardship.
We use climate policy to illustrate how this approach could work. We emphasise differing soil capabilities, reliable monitoring, appropriate incentives, public participation and effective regulation. Carbon storage matters, but it cannot represent soil’s full value or every aspect of its contribution to climate regulation.
Our central recommendation is that governments connect scientific evidence with the people, funding and rules needed for action. We offer a framework for designing and evaluating policy, while recognising that successful implementation requires adaptation to different countries, landscapes and communities, with progress assessed transparently over time.
