Story and Photos from Dr Anneke Trux, Head of Programmes at GIZ

Soil organic carbon credits can help smallholder farmers improve food security, restore degraded land, and strengthen climate resilience while generating additional income. Drawing on experiences from Kenya’s ProSoil program, the article highlights the potential of sustainable land management to increase soil health and carbon storage. It also stresses the need for transparent carbon markets, affordable monitoring systems, strong partnerships, and fair benefit-sharing to ensure lasting environmental and social impact.

From 10–21 November 2025, delegates from UN Member States, civil society organizations, the research community, Indigenous peoples, youth, non-profit organizations, the private sector, and more, came together in Belém, Brazil to drive the future of the global climate agenda. 

Representation from diverse groups is paramount to ensuring the voices of all are heard, and central to the approach from the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH). At this year’s COP, we centred youth voices, presented experiential learning from farmer-centred food security initiatives, called for increased attention to soil health as a climate solution from policy and financial stakeholders, and stressed the need for approaches to be rooted in Indigenous knowledge and value systems. The CA4SH Secretariat participated in 20 unique sessions across the Action on Food Hub, Brazil Pavilion, Food & Agriculture Pavilion, Spanish Pavilion, and the Nordic Pavilion, and we supported our network of partners and collaborators by promoting their engagements through our annual #COPSoil landing page.

Read on for an overview of our engagements at COP, positioning soil health as a key climate solution with co-benefits for global food security, biodiversity, sustainable landscapes, and rural livelihoods.

By Dr Anneke Trux, Co-Lead of Global Programmes “Soil Protection and Rehabilitation for Food Security” (ProSoil) and “Soil Matters – Innovations for Soil Health and Agroecology”

Soils are finally stepping into the spotlight of global climate action! They do so for good reasons. Long underestimated, they are now recognised as a pillar for climate mitigation. Yet, let’s be clear: while soils are an emerging hero, they are not a silver bullet. They must complement, not replace, mitigation efforts in energy, transport, industry and other.

May 20–22, 2025 - The Conference "Partners for Change – SOILutions for a Food Secure, Resilient, and Sustainable Future" in Berlin was more than a closing celebration; it was a call to action and a moment of convergence. Over 25 countries came together to chart a bold new course for global soil health. Celebrating a decade of impact, the event called for political leadership, farmer-led solutions, and coordinated action to embed soil health at the heart of sustainable food systems and climate resilience.

The international soil conference ‘Partners for Change - SOILutions for a Food Secure, Resilient, and Sustainable Future’ brought together almost 150 different stakeholders in Berlin from 20 to 22 May. Its aim: to take stock of existing conservation programmes and pave the way for the future.