Despite being essential to life on Earth, soil is under severe pressure due to population growth, changing consumption habits, and climate-induced land cover changes. Over 60% of soil ecosystems in Europe face degradation, erosion, carbon loss, desertification, and contamination, costing the EU over €50 billion annually. Soil degradation, driven by past and present suboptimal land management practices, is worsened by climate change, posing significant challenges to soil quality and ecosystem services.

The CURIOSOIL Project is designed to address this crisis by improving soil literacy through collaborative education initiatives. The latest scientific developments have yielded new technologies and methodologies for comprehending the intricate interrelationships between soil characteristics and ecosystem services. However, there is a lack of awareness at all societal levels about soil health and the consequences of poor soil and land management, due to insufficient soil education efforts relative to societal needs.

The CURIOSOIL Project is a collaborative initiative designed to enhance public comprehension of soil, lay the groundwork for sustainable practices, and cultivate a sense of responsibility towards the environment. The project is led by the University of Aveiro and comprises a consortium of 14 partners from across Europe. The following organisations are also involved: Gaia Education Europe and ECOLISE in Belgium; REVOLVE in Spain; Faculty of Environmental Protection in Slovenia; Wageningen University, ISRIC – World Soil Information, and the European School Heads Association in the Netherlands; Universita degli Studi di Palermo in Italy; University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Austria; Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) in Norway; European Science Communication Institute (ESCI) in Germany; and IUCN and Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland.