The world is grappling with numerous environmental challenges and, while COP29 (the world’s most important gathering on the environment) is expected to focus on climate finance, we need solutions that benefit everyone – especially the most vulnerable. We need to revolutionise agriculture, including how we use soil. Indeed, soil plays a crucial role in combating climate change, ensuring food security, and maintaining biodiversity.

This week’s guest is Praveena Sridhar, chief science and technology officer at the Save Soil movement run by the Conscious Planet initiative, set up by internationally-renowned yogi Sadhguru. Through working with over 220,000 farmers in India and advocating for ecological restoration, Conscious Planet's wide network of volunteers have also raised global awareness of the soil crisis, through community events, social media campaigns and in mass media.

Soil health could serve as a critical link between addressing climate change and protecting nature. 12 inches of topsoil supports 95% of global food production, and provides the potential for sequestering nearly a third of all GHG emissions. Yet today over half of all global soils are degraded, a number that could rise to 90% by 2050.

Praveena talks to Felicia about the role of soil in addressing climate change, the critical need to improve the organic content of soil to 3-6% of matter and the importance of supporting farmers in changing their approach to farming, as well as what needs to be done to increase access to finance. The future of the climate - and the food system - could depend on it.

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