Soil microbial strategies for climate mitigation-report from a climate action workshop in Las Vegas, Nevada, February...

Life on Earth faces an existential crisis due to the enduring repercussions of unsustainable human activities since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Among the most pressing issues are greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from fossil fuel combustion, unsustainable agricultural practices, as well as the global erosion of the world's topsoil. While agrochemicals have temporarily increased land productivity, their frequent use has adversely impacted the environment and microbial biodiversity. With half of the global soils already degraded by erosion and a projected 90% at risk by 2050, humanity faces a critical crisis that threatens food production, soil carbon storage, and availability of clean water. In this precarious scenario, microbes and plants may provide promising allies for sustaining life on Earth. Thus, it is crucial for policymakers, scientists, NGOs, and the public to recognize the fundamental importance of the soil microbiome. In February 2024, the workshop "Soil Microbial Strategies for Climate Mitigation" gathered world-leading experts from the most relevant research fields, as well as industry innovators, communicators, artists, and policymakers, to propose soil microbiome-based interventions aimed at enhancing carbon dioxide (CO₂) drawdown and mitigating soil erosion. The workshop focused on innovative soil microbial inoculant approaches, examining methodologies for measuring soil carbon, enhancing plant health and soil structure, proposing an action plan, and forming collaborative strategies.