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Soil sealingPermanent covering of the soil surface with impermeable artificial materials, leading to non-reversible loss of soiland most of its ecosystem services.

The main negative impacts on ecosystem services include losses of food and fibre production; significant decreases or total loss of the soil’s water retention; reduced neutralizationand purification capacities and reduction of carbonsequestration capacity.

Worldwide, 17 ha of soilare sealed every minute

under expandinginfrastructure

PROMOTE NEW POLICIES THAT SUPPORTTHE PROTECTION/CONSERVATION OF ESPECIALLY SUITABLE AGRICULTURAL SOILS

2016

SOIL THREATSSoil sealing

LACLatin America

and the Caribbean

NANorthAmerica

SSAsub-Saharan Africa

NENANear East and

North Africa

E Europe and Eurasia

SPSouthwest

Pacific

AAsia

GoodFairPoorVerypoor

Condition TrendImproving Deteriorating Variable Stable ©

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