United Nations

A/RES/68/232

General AssemblyDistr.: General7 February 2014

Sixty-eighth session
Agenda item 25

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 2013
[on the report of the Second Committee (A/68/444)]

68/232. World Soil Day and International Year of Soils
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming General Assembly resolutions 53/199 of 15 December 1998 and61/185 of 20 December 2006 on the proclamation of international years, andEconomic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 on international
years and anniversaries, particularly paragraphs 1 to 10 of its annex on the agreed
criteria for their proclamation, as well as paragraphs 13 and 14, stating that aninternational day or year should not be proclaimed before the basic arrangements for
its organization and financing have been made,Noting that soils constitute the foundation for agricultural development,
essential ecosystem functions and food security and hence are key to sustaining lifeon Earth,
Recognizing that the sustainability of soils is key to addressing the pressures ofa growing population and that recognition, advocacy and support for promoting
sustainable management of soils can contribute to healthy soils and thus to a foodsecure world and to stable and sustainably used ecosystems,
Recalling the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, 1 Agenda 21, 2
the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, 3 the Johannesburg
Declaration on Sustainable Development, 4 the Plan of Implementation of the World
Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation) 5 and_______________
1
Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3–14 June
1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by the Conference (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 andcorrigendum), resolution 1, annex I.
2Ibid., annex II.
3
Resolution S-19/2, annex.
4
Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August–
4 September 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.03.II.A.1 and corrigendum), chap. I,
resolution 1, annex.
5Ibid., resolution 2, annex.

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World Soil Day and International Year of Soils

the commitments made therein and the outcome document of the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want”, 6Recognizing the economic and social significance of good land management,including soil, particularly its contribution to economic growth, biodiversity,
sustainable agriculture and food security, eradicating poverty, women’s empowerment,
addressing climate change and improving water availability, and stressing thatdesertification, land degradation and drought are challenges of a global dimension
and that they continue to pose serious challenges to the sustainable development of
all countries, in particular developing countries,
Recognizing also the urgent need, at all levels, to raise awareness and topromote sustainability of the limited soil resources, using the best availablescientific information and building on all dimensions of sustainable development,
Noting that World Soil Day and the International Year of Soils can contributeto raising awareness of desertification, land degradation and drought, in line withthe objective of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in ThoseCountries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly inAfrica, 7
Recognizing that, for these reasons, an international year and world day on thesame issue on soil could exceptionally be proclaimed at the same time without
constituting a precedent,
Recalling resolutions 4/2013 and 5/2013 adopted on 22 June 2013 by theConference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations at its
thirty-eighth session, 8
1.
Decides to designate 5 December as World Soil Day and to declare 2015
the International Year of Soils;
2.
Invites all Member States, the organizations of the United Nations systemand other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society,non-governmental organizations and individuals, to observe the Day and the Year, asappropriate;
Invites Governments, relevant regional and international organizations,3.
non-governmental organizations, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders
to make voluntary contributions for the observance of the Day and the Year;
Invites the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,4.
mindful of the provisions contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council
resolution 1980/67, and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, tofacilitate the implementation of the Day and the Year, in collaboration withGovernments, the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/orDesertification, Particularly in Africa7 and other relevant regional and internationalorganizations, civil society and the general public, and also invites the Food andAgriculture Organization of the United Nations to keep the General Assembly_______________
6Resolution 66/288, annex.
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1954, No. 33480.
8See Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Report of the Conference of FAO, Thirtyeighth Session, Rome, 15–22 June 2013 (C 2013/REP).
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A/RES/68/232

informed of the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution,
including on the evaluation of the Day and the Year;
5.
Stresses that the cost of all activities that may arise from theimplementation of the present resolution should be met from voluntary
contributions, subject to the availability and provision of voluntary contributions;
Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the6.
attention of all Member States in order to encourage them to carry out activities tocommemorate World Soil Day and the International Year of Soils.
71st plenary meeting
20 December 2013

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