Soils at the heart of Climate Change Committee’s "A Well-Adapted UK" Report
Healthy soils are positioned as foundational to national resilience in the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) vision for a climate‑resilient UK.
In its 2026 report, A Well-Adapted UK, the Committee sets out how our land system is set to face increasing pressures from heat, drought, flooding, wildfire, pests, and diseases. Soils sit at the centre, underpinning food production, water regulation, carbon storage, and nature recovery — all of which the CCC identifies as essential for national adaptation to the very real challenges we face.
The work done to date by the Land Use for Net Zero Hub Soil Health and Carbon Dynamics Topic Advisory Group has drilled into many of the missing pieces in evidence and policy infrastructure highlighted in this report. The co-leads of this work, Professor Pete Smith of the University of Aberdeen and Ellen Fay of the Sustainable Soils Alliance commented that:
“Clear, consistent evidence on the state of our soils and better understanding of their inherent natural capacities are critical. Understanding soil health and soil itself as a living habitat is the key to identifying risks and targeting the adaptation actions that will build resilience. The good news is that collaboration across the evidence community is growing, with more open access to soils data and maps, and a rising recognition of soil as a keystone priority for climate and nature.”
Here is a brief summary of the soil-specific opportunities and threats identified by the CCC:
The Priority Status of Soils in A Well-Adapted UK
The CCC’s adaptation framework makes clear that soil health is an adaptation priority. The report highlights that soil health is integral to ecosystem services such as food production, flood mitigation, and nature recovery, and stresses that degraded soils place the UK at heightened climate risk.
Crucially, the CCC warns that the UK lacks robust, long‑term soil health data, and that this gap limits the ability to plan, target, and evaluate adaptation measures. The report calls for improved soil monitoring, better soil evidence, and the development of soil‑health indicators within the Adaptation Monitoring Framework (AMF). These indicators are intended to align with Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, which are the main mechanism for improving soil management across most of England’s land area.
Together, these points reinforce the CCC’s message that soils are central, measurable, and strategically important when considering national adaptation to climate change.
Why Soils Are Central to the CCC’s Land System Vision
Healthy soils are foundational to the CCC’s land‑use vision, supporting climate‑resilient farming, stable food production, and the restoration of habitats such as peatlands and wetlands. They improve water infiltration, reduce erosion, and help landscapes withstand drought, heat, flooding, and wildfire. Because these functions underpin nature recovery, ecological connectivity, and national food security, soil health is central to reducing climate risks across the whole landscapes.
Needs and Opportunities Identified in the CCC Report
- Improved Soil Data and Monitoring Infrastructure
The CCC identifies the lack of robust, long‑term soil data as a major barrier to effective adaptation. The report calls for:
- Improved soil monitoring, including for soil health, soil degradation and peat condition
- Better evidence on soil condition to understand risks and target adaptation actions
- Integration of soil evidence into land‑use and adaptation planning
- Development of soil‑health indicators within the Adaptation Monitoring Framework
These steps are essential for tracking resilience and evaluating whether adaptation measures are working.
- Soil‑Focused Environmental Land Management Delivery
ELM schemes are highlighted as a key part of England’s agricultural transition and a primary vehicle for improving soil management. Soil‑health indicators within the Adaptation Monitoring Framework should align with ELM outcomes.
- Innovation and Research Opportunities
The CCC notes opportunities for innovation that enhance soil resilience including precision soil monitoring, drought‑resilient cropping, and improved soil‑water management as part of a climate‑ready landscape.
- Soil Health as a Tracked Adaptation Indicator
The CCC’s Adaptation Monitoring Framework includes soil‑related metrics such as soil organic matter, erosion risk, and peat condition, reinforcing soils as a cross‑system resilience indicator.
Conclusion
The Climate Change Committee recognises soil health as a core national priority in preparing a well-adapted UK, critical to determining the UK’s ability to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. Improvement in soil monitoring, clear development of soil‑health indicators, and ELM‑driven soil improvements are all identified as essential components of a climate‑resilient land system. Because soils degrade quickly and recover slowly, the CCC positions soils as a priority for immediate action — essential for food security, nature recovery, water management, and long‑term climate resilience.
Ellen Fay
Soil Health and Carbon Dynamics
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